USC making program history on a football field in 2023 is an accomplishment in and of itself. When your football program is as storied as the Trojans’ is, it’s just hard to break records.

Unless, of course, you have a generational talent playing quarterback and arguably the best offensive mind in the game roaming the sidelines.

USC has both those things, and it set two program records Saturday night in a 56-10 demolition of Stanford.

The 56 points scored were the most against a Stanford team in the history of the series. The previous high (54) was set back in 1952 and the 46-point margin of victory was the third-largest in the history of the series.

USC also broke 50 for the third straight game to open the season — the first time that has been done in a season in school history. The Trojans have 178 points through three games, which matches the 2005 USC team for the second-most in any three-game stretch in school history.

“It’s probably the best half of football we played this year. It was one of the more complete halves, certainly,” coach Lincoln Riley said of the Trojans’ 49-point first half. “I think all three sides were firing on all cylinders, so we took some steps. Guys were really excited to play, really ready to play, really energized, and combined that with some really great football.”

Quarterback Caleb Williams continued his incredible start to the season, throwing for 281 yards and three touchdowns in just two quarters of work. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner leads the nation in touchdown passes (12) despite handling just 24 offensive possessions so far through three games.

Six different USC receivers have at least 110 yards receiving on the season as a result of Williams’ productivity. Seven different pass-catchers have caught a touchdown pass.

Against Stanford Saturday evening, 12 different players made receptions. Six different players had a rushing attempt (not including the quarterbacks). This is an all-hands-on-deck offense at the moment, and it is humming.

“We’re trying to play the game on our own terms. We’re not really concerned with what’s going on on the outside,” Riley said when asked about the message a first half like the one they had against Stanford sends.

“Everybody across the country — whether they love SC or hate SC — everyone’s checking the score, everybody wants to know what they’re doing. And so there’s always going to be some type of buzz and attention around it. We just decided we’re going to play on our terms and we’ll let the dust settle and we’ll see where we’re at the end of the day.”