The USC Trojans hit the road to take on the Washington State Cougars in college football action Saturday. The game is scheduled for a 4:30 p.m. start time and it will be televised live on the Pac-12 Network. Currently the odds for the game have the Trojans favored on the road in this one.
USC has looked like one of the better teams in the Pac-12 at times this season, but also has struggled with some focus. The Trojans are still dealing with scholarship issues and don't have a full roster but have done a pretty good job despite that. Two of their three losses on the season came on the road, falling at Boston College and Utah last week.
They'll play Washington State on the road in this one, looking to find a way to get it straightened out. The Cougars have one of the best offensive teams in the country but they are atrocious on defense. While Connor Holliday throws for nearly 500 yards per game, the Cougars have absolutely no running game and they has hurt them this season. Despite the horrible record the Cougars still found a way to win a game at Utah, but that was three weeks ago when they still had a chance at a bowl game. Now the Wazzou program is 2-6 and has to win out in order to make the six wins necessary to become bowl eligible.
Games against USC, road tilts at Oregon Sate and Arizona State before the Apple Cup at the end of the year against Washington don't seem like games they can win.
USC can run the football Javorious Allen, one of the better backs in the country. When the Trojans can get him going and Cody Kessler doesn't have to throw them to a win, USC is tough to beat. Kessler has been sharp this season, tossing for better than 2,100 yards and 20 touchdowns, but USC does love to establish the running game as well.
Washington State will move the football against USC, but it might not be able to do it all game. The Cougars have all kinds of receivers with big numbers, as they should, throwing the ball nearly every down. Four Wazzou receivers have caught at least six touchdown passes, but the USC secondary is a good group. Holliday will have to battle with time to get the football out as well with the Trojan front seven looking to put pressure on him.
Last year Wazzou knocked off USC 10-7. This year that should be different.
Free Pick: USC 41, Washington State 31
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