Arizona Wildcats vs USC Trojans: How to watch, start time, betting line and prediction
ARIZONA OUTLOOK
If you don't know who Khalil Tate is by now, you might want to tune in to this one. And I really don't blame you for not knowing Tate, because the Wildcats and he didn't exactly start out the year on fire. In fact, Tate and his now backup-and-former-starter Brandon Dawkins looked terrible in their 19-16 loss to Houston early in the season. Rich Rodriguez's seat was getting pretty hot after that, but Tate has done his part to cool it off.
Tate had a monster October, and now leads the team with 926 rushing yards. His partner in the backfield, JJ Taylor, emerged last week to aid his quarterback. Don't forget about Nick Wilson either. Wilson's got experience under his belt, and adds to the Wildcats rushing attack. As long as Tate continue his phenomenal run, Arizona should be just fine. Now if their defense would help them out.
If Arizona is going to stop USC, their secondary is going to have to play their best game ever. Or really just better than they have been. Teams are averaging 300 yards passing against Arizona and, like we've seen with other teams across the nation, trying to outscore opponents eventually ends poorly. Opponents are scoring 30.3 points per game against Arizona, and Tate's magic will only last so long. Frankly, I'm not sure how far this team will go, but making a bowl game has already taken a load of pressure off of their coach's shoulder. That might be a positive enough if this season doesn't end well.
USC OUTLOOK
There were many, including myself, that thought last week's game would be closer against Arizona State, but USC silenced the doubters early. The final was a 48-17 blowout on the road, and hushed any concerns that the Trojans were falling off this year. While a playoff run might be out of the question, a Pac-12 championship isn't. Sure, they need help, but they only have one loss in the conference. Only problem is that was to Washington State who just got killed by Arizona.
Sam Darnold has gone from first round pick to first player fans complain about. His turnover problems continue, and it's starting to seem more likely that he stays another year than enters the NFL Draft. Overall, Trojan fans are probably okay with that. With Darnold struggling, the running game has been relied on more often, and Ronald Jones is taking that responsibility head-on. His 216 yards and two touchdowns last week were a catalyst in the blowout win on the road.
The offense that USC faces should be familiar from two weeks ago. Maybe not the same exact offense, but a quarterback that likes to run. Brandon Wimbush and Notre Dame torched the Trojans defense on the ground, and the Wildcats will look to do the same. If this team gets behind early, will they cave like they did against the Irish? The defense's response to adversity might determine the outcome.
PREDICTION
Tate is a phenomenal athlete, but he hasn't faced a team that has the talent USC has. Plus he's on the road, and all good runs must come to an end. If Darnold continues turning the ball over, you can probably expect an upset. But last week's blowout was a statement, and the Trojans are looking to build off of that momentum.
My pick: USC 31 Arizona 21
