No. 4 USC vs. No. 11 Utah
What: Pac-12 championship game
When: 5 p.m. Friday
Where: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas
Records: USC 11-1, 8-1 in Pac-12; Utah 9-3, 7-2
TV/Radio: Fox/790 KABC
Line: USC by 2.5
Key injuries: USC: PROBABLE: OL Andrew Vorhees (undisclosed); UTAH: N/A
What’s at stake? If USC wins, the Trojans would be Pac-12 champions for the first time since 2017. Beyond that, the fourth-ranked Trojans would go to the College Football Playoff for the first time in the history of the event. If Utah wins, the Utes would be back-to-back Pac-12 champions and earn a spot in the Rose Bowl, which would likely go to Washington should the Utes lose.
Who’s better? Utah won the last matchup in October 43-42, which theoretically gives the advantage to the Utes. But USC has also been the more consistent team, winning all six games since the loss in Salt Lake City, while Utah’s two best players – QB Cam Rising and TE Dalton Kincaid – have been limited by injury the past month. USC is coming in as healthy as it’s been for the past couple of months and as confident as it’s been after a complete win over Notre Dame.
Matchup to watch: USC RB Austin Jones vs. Utah run defense. There are a lot of USC defensive matchups to analyze, but the Trojans need to establish the run game to take pressure off QB Caleb Williams and the USC defense as a whole by letting that unit rest of the sidelines. Jones has been an extremely capable back in the two games since Travis Dye’s season ended with injury, gaining 274 yards on 46 carries the last two weeks. And the run game was critical to USC’s early success against Utah in October. The Trojans rushed 27 times for 175 yards in Salt Lake. But the Utah run defense has clamped down since that contest, giving up 68.2 rushing yards per game in the five ensuing weeks. Which side wins this matchup will affect every other aspect of the game, and likely impact the final result.
Related Articles
USC leans on Lincoln Riley’s experience ahead of Pac-12 title game
College Football Playoff expansion in 2024 is a boost for new look Pac-12
USC races past cold-shooting Cal in Pac-12 opener
Reports: Rose Bowl agrees to clear way for College Football Playoff expansion in 2024
The keys for the USC defense in Utah rematch
USC wins if: It rushes for more than 150 yards. … if the USC defense limits Kincaid to less than 80 yards receiving after his career game against the Trojans in October. … if the defense creates at least two turnovers. … if WR Jordan Addison catches at least eight passes for at least 100 yards.
Prediction: USC 35, Utah 31. The Trojans have played like a team of destiny the past couple of weeks, taking their lead from the way Williams has played. I expect the quarterback to again lead USC to victory, wrapping up the Heisman Trophy in the process.