Colorado at No. 8 USC
When: Friday, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
TV/Radio: Fox Sports 1/AM 790
Records: Colorado 1-8, 1-5 in Pac-12; USC 8-1, 6-1
Line: USC by 34
Injury report: Colorado: N/A; USC: AVAILABLE: WR Jordan Addison (leg), LB Ralen Goforth (hand); GAME-TIME DECISION: LB Eric Gentry (ankle), WR Mario Williams (undisclosed); OUT: S Xavion Alford (undisclosed), RUSH Romello Height (shoulder), CB Domani Jackson (leg), TE Jude Wolfe (foot)
What’s at stake? For Colorado, a victory that would partially redeem a disastrous season. For USC, keeping College Football Playoff hopes alive and getting some good momentum heading into UCLA week.
Who’s better? One team fired its coach, the other is in the top 10. Let’s not overthink this.
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Matchup to watch: USC secondary vs. Colorado passing game. This is not to say the Buffaloes have a good passing game; in fact, they gain just 189.4 yards per game. But USC just gave up a career game to Cal quarterback Jack Plummer, who had never passed for 300 yards and wound up throwing for 400 against the Trojans. So this will be a game USC can use to judge how much the unit has improved and whether any personnel changes are necessary before facing the Bruins and Dorian Thompson-Robinson.
USC wins if: The Trojans rush for 150 yards and control the pace of the game. USC commits fewer than 10 penalties. And the Trojans hold Colorado around its paltry season averages on offense.
Prediction: USC 51, Colorado 14. The Trojans were frustrated after Saturday’s unconvincing win over Cal. Expect USC to channel those feelings into a complete victory of Colorado.