USC vs. Utah Prediction, Game Preview

The Utah Utes (6-0) can knock the USC Trojans (3-3) out of the South Division on Saturday night. Check out the USC vs. Utah prediction and game preview.

USC vs. Utah Game Preview

Broadcast

Date: Saturday, October 24
Game Time: 7:30 ET
Network: Fox

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Why You Need To Care

Utah has knocked down each hurdle so far this season, rising to No. 3 in the polls. This weekend, it has an opportunity to knock USC clear out of the Pac-12 South race … in front of its home crowd.

The Utes were one of the stories of the first half of the season, improbably seizing the Pac-12 pole position. But now that the whole world is watching Salt Lake City, things are about to get serious at an entirely new level. Unlike before the Sept. 26 Oregon upset, Utah is now expected to win and vie for a playoff berth. And with all due respect to UCLA, which must travel to Rice-Eccles Stadium in a month, USC at the Coliseum is the Utes’ toughest remaining regular season test.

Utah and USC are on polar opposites of the surprise scale so far this season. Pegged to compete for the Pac-12 hardware, the Trojans are now in danger of slipping below .500. After losing to Notre Dame, even bowl eligibility isn’t a sure-thing at Troy. However, a visit from the highest ranked Pac-12 team affords USC—and interim coach Clay Helton—a chance to make a statement and redirect the course of this season. With a loss on Saturday, the air could come completely out of the program.

Why Utah Will Win

The Utes are physical, efficient and fundamentally sound in all phases of the game. In other words, exactly the kind of opponent with which USC struggles.

The Trojans are making too many mistakes these days. And too many mistakes will be disastrous against a team like Utah. The Utes lead the Pac-12 in turnover margin, run defense and sacks allowed, and no one has a more complete special teams unit. RB Devontae Booker will shoulder the load on the ground against an average USC front seven. Plus, the last time the Trojans faced a bare-knuckle D, Washington, it scored just a dozen points.

Why USC Will Win

Better speed plus a sense of urgency affords the Trojans a chance to play to their potential for at least one week.

USC still has more natural ability and athleticism than Utah. And it has an edge behind center, where Cody Kessler is distinctly more reliable than Travis Wilson. The Trojans will need to turn to their best athletes to defeat the Utes. That means more touches for WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, RB Ronald Jones II and Adoree’ Jackson. And asking more from the team’s best defenders, LB Su’a Cravens, NT Antwaun Woods and DT Delvon Simmons, the veteran leaders of a defense that has underachieved so far in 2015.

Player Who Matters

The Trojans missed all-star C Max Tuerk last week against Notre Dame. They will really miss their O-line anchor this Saturday against the sturdy Utah front wall.

The Utes are relentless at the point of attack, with linemen Hunter Dimick, Lowell Lotulelei, Pita Taumoepenu and Jason Fanaika causing fits for opposing blockers. Plus, the linebackers are rock-solid, even if Jared Norris isn’t 100%. Without Tuerk, the reshuffled Trojan line must give time to Kessler and create some space for Jones, Tre Madden and Justin Davis.

What’s Going To Happen?

If the Utah run was going to end, this would seemingly be the time it would happen. But the Utes are flat-out better, and they match up so well with the Trojans.

Sure, USC will ignite the crowd with explosive plays from Smith-Schuster and Jackson. However, Washington provided the blueprint on how to beat the Trojans, winning at the line of scrimmage. Utah is even better than the Huskies in the trenches, particularly now that Tuerk is done for the year. While it’ll be tight and competitive throughout, the Utes’ knack for outlasting opponents and not beating themselves will result in another statement win.