USC’s Adoree’ Jackson finds the end zone on interception

Reporting from Berkeley â€”  USC cornerback Adoree’ Jackson turned his first career interception into a touchdown Saturday in the Trojans’ 27-21 victory over California at Memorial Stadium.

Jackson, a sophomore, picked off a third-quarter pass by Cal quarterback Jared Goff and returned it 46 yards to give USC a 24-7 lead.

Jackson got help with several blocks from safety Chris Hawkins.

“My mind was just get to the end zone,� said Jackson, who dove for the left pylon. “I knew I was going to have to cut back. That’s why I was pointing, to make them run that way, like was going there and then I cut it back.�

After starting at receiver and playing only two plays on defense last week against Utah, Jackson returned to cornerback against Cal.

“I was just glad to be on defense this game and making plays,� Jackson said. “I saw the defense last game, swarming to the ball and making plays.

“I was thinking, ‘Man, now it’s my turn to make a play and do anything I can.’�

Jackson also played on offense, catching two passes for 18 yards. In the first quarter, he also lined up in the backfield, took a handoff and then lateraled to receiver Jalen Greene, who completed a 34-yard pass to Deontay Burnett.

Jackson, Greene and Burnett all played at Gardena Serra High.

Senior cornerback Kevon Seymour also intercepted his first pass of the season in the fourth quarter.

Smith-Schuster injured

USC receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, who caught five passes for 55 yards, suffered a fracture in his right hand.

Smith-Schuster said he was injured when he was hit while returning a kickoff in the first quarter. The sophomore, who injured his left hand last season, said he planned to play with a cast.

Linebacker Su’a Cravens left the game for a time because of a right elbow injury, but Cravens said he was fine.

Tailbacks Ronald Jones II, who rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown in 11 carries, and Tre Madden, who ran for 62 yards and a touchdown, were nursing sore knees after the game.

Quarterback duel

In a game that was billed as a matchup of two future NFL quarterbacks, USC’s Cody Kessler performed efficiently for the second game in a row.

Kessler completed 18 of 22 passes for 186 yards and said he was happy to be part of a grind-it-out victory.

“I could care less about stats,� Kessler said, “I really do want to win the game. Whether that’s me making one pass on a third down on a drive to keep it going, or having to tuck it and run, or us just running the ball the whole drive — I’m 100% OK with that.�

Goff completed 23 of 31 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns, with two interceptions.

Stepping up

Burnett, who joined the Trojans as a “blueshirt� recruit after the Trojans started training camp, continues to make an impact. He caught three passes for 82 yards.

Darreus Rogers returned from a hamstring injury and caught three passes for 16 yards. Steven Mitchell Jr. returned from an ankle injury and had two receptions for 11 yards.

[email protected]

Twitter: @latimesklein