In a victory over Fresno State, the defence for No. 7 USC turned the tables and bit back.

After two weeks of bending and bending and bending some more, it seemed only a matter of time before USC’s discomfiting defense might finally break, leaving Caleb Williams and their electrifying counterparts to bail out the Trojans on their own.

The possibility loomed like a dark cloud over an impossibly bright start to the season for USC, creeping into every conversation about the Trojans’ trajectory, a caveat it had yet to counter.

Those concerns crept back into the Coliseum throughout USC’s 45-17 victory on Saturday night, even as the Trojans kept a largely comfortable lead throughout. They rolled in as Fresno State flew up and down the field for 421 yards and reverberated as Bulldog running backs burst through massive holes in the USC front.

But again, that dark cloud was whisked away before the Trojans found themselves in too dire of straits. This time, however, it wasn’t just Williams who whisked USC out of danger.

This time, USC’s defense wouldn’t need four takeaways to do its part.

The Trojans still added two more turnovers to their heaping, early-season pile. But their most encouraging moments came at the most critical junctures Saturday, just as Fresno State threatened to break the game open.

Twice in the second half, the Bulldogs appeared primed to push their way back in the game, only to be thwarted by big plays from USC’s defense.

The first came from rush end Solomon Byrd, who burst around the edge on the first possession of the second half and slammed Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener to the grass, forcing a sack-fumble that would knock Haener out of the game.

Three plays later, the Trojans scored on a 23-yard run from Travis Dye, pushing their lead to 18.

From there, USC’s defense allowed just a single score from a Fresno State offense that came into Saturday as one of the most prolific in college football through two weeks. It halted one drive with a third-down sack from Brandon Pili and another from Tuli Tuipulotu. It even added a final goal-line stand at the one-yard-line for good measure.

It was still far from perfect on that end. But as USC rolled to a third straight victory to open its season, it could rest easy knowing its defense was nowhere close to breaking. Not yet, at least.

Another strong performance from Williams certainly helped matters. The quarterback finished with 284 yards and two touchdowns through the air, while adding two more on the ground. The Trojans also boasted two 100-yard rushers, as Travis Dye and Austin Jones rolled over the Fresno front, adding a touchdown apiece.

The defense had the benefit of another blazing start from those playmakers, as USC scored touchdowns on each of its first three possessions for the third straight week.

Just like last week — and the week before that — USC marched down the field on its opening drive and made an early statement. Dye got the Trojans offense off the ground, tallying 42 yards with his first four carries. Williams completed two tightly covered passes to convert two third-and-longs on USC’s first possession, before finding Jordan Addison in the end zone for a three-yard score, Addison’s fifth in just nine quarters for USC.

Williams punctuated the Trojans’ next trip with a touchdown, faking a handoff before scampering eight yards to give USC an early 14-point lead and Williams his first rushing score of the season. He added another on the next possession, giving USC’s quarterback his first multi-score game on the ground.

But the more stunning early statement came on Fresno State’s first drive, as USC’s defense forced an immediate three-and-out, setting a strong tone it hoped would hold for the rest of the night.

Instead it lasted all of one possession, as Fresno State took just five plays on the next drive to find its way into the red zone. It wouldn’t get much further than that, as USC’s defense once again stood tall with its back against the end zone, stopping the Bulldogs on three consecutive plays inside the 10 to force a field goal.

The defense wouldn’t fare so well on its next try, as Fresno State flew down the field again, this time finding the end zone in fewer than 90 seconds.

Two plays later, USC found itself right back in the red zone.

This time, it couldn’t convert, as Williams was scrambling for dear life in the pocket, before he was sacked outside of field-goal range.

But USC returned to its high-flying ways after the half, while its defense did its best just to hang on.

This time, the Trojans were sure to cling tight.

Bobby Haskins starts

After two straight Saturdays of splitting snaps between its top two tackles, USC largely stuck with one left tackle against Fresno State, as Bobby Haskins stepped in for an injured Courtland Ford as the full-time blindside protector.

Ford was dressed Saturday, but ultimately sat out as he continues to recover from an injured ankle.

It looked like USC might also lose Haskins as the senior tackle left the game briefly in the second quarter, clutching his left shoulder.

Redshirt freshman Mason Murphy took his place and proceeded to give up a sack on his first play. On the following drive, Haskins returned.

Ford should return soon enough. Whether he’ll supplant Haskins when he does remains to be seen.