Panthers’ Christian McCaffrey, Sam Darnold disagree over college rivalry

Carolina Panthers teammates Christian McCaffrey and Sam Darnold have become quite the buddies this summer. But could there be a snag in this budding friendship?

Well, no, at least not from this. They did, however, have differing recollections on how things went when McCaffrey’s Stanford Cardinal matched up against Darnold’s USC Trojans in their pre-NFL days.

“We go pretty far back,” McCaffrey said of his quarterback following Thursday’s practice. “Sam’s just the same guy all the time. He’s a great guy, great personality. Just one of the boys.”

McCaffrey was then asked about their connection dating back to their collegiate careers, to which the running back jokingly addressed with a little school pride.

“Well, I played against him in college, obviously. Going back to when he was at SC (University of Southern California). I think we won those games . . . I don’t know,” he said with a smile.

Sam, however, sees it differently.

“I think he played before me, if I remember correctly,” Darnold said after McCaffrey’s presser. “When I was playing there, we never lost to them.”

So, we have two totally separate accounts. How did it really play out though?

Well, the two actually only saw each other once on those opposing Pac-12 sidelines. That was in 2016, when McCaffrey was in his final year as a Heisman Trophy candidate while Darnold was a freshman.

CMC and Sam Darnold had some friendly barbs in pressers today over who had the upper hand in their Pac-12 rivalry in college.

They actually only played each other once, in 2016. Stanford won that game.

— Will Bryan (@Pantherstatsguy) September 2, 2021

The Cardinal triumphed over the Trojans, 27-10. McCaffrey rushed for 172 yards and a touchdown on 31 carries, with another score and another 66 yards on three receptions. Darnold, who came in for the fourth quarter, completed five of his seven throws for 45 yards and an interception.

Point, McCaffrey.