USC vs. UCLA Prediction, Game Preview

The USC Trojans (7-4) against the UCLA Bruins (8-3) for a spot opposite Stanford in next week’s Pac-12 Championship Game. It doesn’t get much better than this in the South Division. Check out the USC vs. UCLA prediction and game preview.

USC vs. UCLA Prediction & Preview

Broadcast

Date: Saturday, November 28
Game Time: 3:30 ET
Venue: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California
Network: ABC/ESPN2

Follow and/or Contact @Rich Cirminiello

Why You Need To Care

After a long and winding season, Los Angeles will be the center of the South Division universe this weekend. Perfect.

Utah faded. Arizona and Arizona State disappointed from the outset. This year’s winner of the 85th rendition of UCLA-USC will not only land the Victory Bell, but also a spot opposite Stanford in the Pac-12 Championship Game. The Bruins remained alive with last week’s gut check win over the Utes in Salt Lake City, answering a heartbreaking loss to Washington State the previous week. And Jim Mora is 3-0 versus Troy, having already defeated Lane Kiffin, Ed Orgeron and Steve Sarkisian, with Clay Helton up next.

Helton has done a decent job since replacing Sark in October, positioning the Trojans to win the South for the first-ever time. Still, USC has faltered against the better teams on the schedule, Stanford, Notre Dame and Oregon a week ago. At 7-4, this program, which began the year ranked No. 8 nationally, has been an unmitigated disappointment. But with UCLA standing between Troy and a possible Pac-12 title, there’s still plenty to be salvaged before the campaign concludes.

Why UCLA Will Win

On the road, the Bruins feel right at home.

UCLA has won nine of its last 10 outside the Rose Bowl, including last week over Utah in Salt Lake City. Venue means nothing, the sign of good preparation. The Bruins want to pick up where Oregon left off last week, abusing a shaky USC defense that allowed six touchdown passes and 578 total yards to Vernon Adams and the Ducks. The Trojans were smoked in the secondary, film of which will have QB Josh Rosen salivating. For Rosen, balance will once again come from Paul Perkins, one of the league’s premier running backs. On offense, USC will struggle in the passing game, targeting the Pac-12’s pass defense at a time when star WR JuJu Smith-Schuster is playing at visibly less than 100%.

Why USC Will Win

Teams can run the ball on UCLA. USC plans to at the Coliseum.

Under Helton, the Trojans have been more of a run-oriented team, leaning on Justin Davis, Ronald Jones and Tre Madden to navigate behind a big and physical O-line. USC averages 4.6 yards a carry, with the depth to wear down the Bruins even if Madden’s knee injury shelves him. And while DT Kenny Clark is a force on the interior for UCLA, the team isn’t the same against the run without DT Eddie Vanderdoes and LB Myles Jack. The Bruins allow 183 rushing yards per game, which will feed nicely into Helton’s blueprint for success.

Player Who Matters

UCLA has allowed the fewest sacks in the Pac-12. USC has notched 16 sacks over the last three games. What gives on Saturday?

Coordinator Justin Wilcox is doing a nice job of unleashing his linebackers, namely Su’a Cravens, to support the inside push of linemen Antwaun Woods and Delvon Simmons. And it’s working to flush quarterbacks from the pocket. But C Jake Brendel and the Bruins are having their best season in ages at keeping the pocket clean. Sack-happy Utah got to Rosen just once last weekend. And if Rosen has time to go through his progressions, he’ll find receivers Jordan Payton and Thomas Duarte, who’ll enjoy an edge on a very beatable USC defensive backfield.

What’s Going To Happen?

Oregon exposed a lot of weaknesses on the USC defense that Rosen and Perkins will further exploit in Saturday’s pivotal game.

UCLA’s road show is going to add another leg in Week 13, resulting in the Victory Bell and a South Division crown. It’ll be close throughout, neither team enjoying a double-digit lead. But the Bruins will rise up in the second half on the strength of a superior pass defense and O-line. Rosen will burn the Trojan secondary in crunch time, beefing up his rookie resume with a victory in the biggest game of the season.