Williams, the sophomore transfer from Arkansas, reaped the greatest benefit from Sanchez's big day. Playing despite a sore shoulder, he sliced and diced his way through a senior-laden Penn State secondary, catching 10 passes for 162 yards.
"That's our job, to go out there and play pitch and catch," Williams said, later adding, "I think we knew deep down our offense was really good. And any time you get to be on a big stage, you kind of have to go out there and show what you've got."
The Trojans did not show much after halftime.
"We got a little complacent," senior linebacker Brian Cushing said.
A fumble ended one drive in the third quarter and they were forced to punt on another.
Meanwhile, Penn State came alive and scored 17 fourth-quarter points on a field goal and quarterback Daryll Clark's short touchdown passes to Derrick Williams and Jordan Norwood.
Norwood's scoring catch with 4:24 left pulled the Nittany Lions to within 38-24, but USC safety Will Harris ended the comeback bid by intercepting a pass with just under three minutes left.
The game ended with cornerback Cary Harris intercepting a pass in the end zone.
"Sometimes in a game like this, you can get a little bit lethargic," said Sarkisian, who will face the Trojans next season as Washington's coach. "You feel like, 'OK, the game is almost over,' but in a sense we had a long way to go.
"But I'm proud of our kids. They played really, really well tonight."
USC outgained Penn State, 474 yards to 410, despite rushing for only 61 yards.
Clark finished 21 for 36 for 273 yards with two touchdowns, but the Nittany Lions were held 16 points below their season average.
"We gave them a chance to keep the score close but it really wasn't a very close football game," Carroll said. "In all due respect, I think they're a terrific team but we ran away with it."
USC players complimented the Nittany Lions for playing hard throughout the game and making it close.
"They never gave up," senior defensive end Kyle Moore said. "That was the difference between them and other Big Ten teams. They tried to rally to the end."
Afterward, Carroll lamented the lack of a playoff system in college football.
Oklahoma and Florida, both one-loss teams, will play next Thursday in the BCS title game in South Florida.
Carroll said the winner of that game deserves the crystal ball trophy.
"I wish we could keep playing," he said. "That's all."
