USC football is no longer perfect after falling to Washington State. Will the Trojans stem the losing against Oregon State on Saturday?
USC fell in its bid to earn a College Football Playoff invitation this year when they tumbled in Week 5 to Washington State. The Trojans, though, still harbor hopes of restoring their position in the national race as long as they can prevent another upset.
This week, they return home to face a team known for dealing upsets to the Trojans. Oregon State has traditionally been a tough out for the Trojans. Most famously, the Beavers toppled USC in Los Angeles in 2008 when the Trojans were the top-ranked team in the country. While Gary Andersen’s team is a massive underdog, that has rarely mattered historically in this Pac-12 series.
Can USC get back to winning ways this weekend as a 34-point favorite? Or will Oregon State manage to take down their ranked opponent and send the Trojans into a complete tailspin? Keep reading to see how things will shake out at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday afternoon.
Here’s how to watch Saturday’s game between USC and Oregon State:
Date: Saturday, Oct. 7
Time: 4:00 p.m. ET
Location: Los Angeles, Calif.
Venue: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
TV: Pac-12 Network
Live Stream: Pac-12 Live
Keys to Victory
To get back on track in the Pac-12 race, the Trojans need quarterback Sam Darnold to snap out of the stupor in which he has been mired to start the year. Darnold has already thrown eight interceptions through his first five games. Last year, he threw nine all season. It has been a season of uneven performances for a player many think will go first overall in the 2018 NFL Draft. Darnold needs to have a monster game to prevent the Beavers from generating any upset potential.
The Trojans offense will also need a big game from running back Ronald Jones II. After missing the game against Cal with a thigh contusion, Jones rebounded with 128 yards and a touchdown against Washington State. He will need to post another 100-yard game with multiple touchdowns as USC looks to blow out their interdivisional foes.
If Oregon State is going to have any chance of taking down the Trojans, the Beavers need Jake Luton to put together a breakout game at quarterback. He will have to do so against a USC defense that has been among the best at turning opposing passers into inefficient messes. Oregon State must play a near-perfect game, cutting back on penalties and preventing turnovers, if they are going to give the Trojans fits on the road.
Betting Odds
Odds courtesy of Sportsbook Review
Point Spread: USC -34
Over/Under: 61
Prediction
Though they are no longer undefeated, USC is still far and away the better of the two teams that will square off this weekend in Los Angeles. Clay Helton’s squad will look to make a statement as they try to climb back into the top 10 of the AP Top 25. Oregon State will be their hapless victim on Saturday as the Trojans roll up the score.
For the first time this season, Sam Darnold will not throw an interception. Instead, he is going to top 350 yards and throw four touchdown passes. Ronald Jones II will add another pair of scores and 150-plus yards on the ground. And the USC defense will make life miserable for Luton as they generate a half-dozen sacks against an overmatched Beavers offensive line.
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This game will be out of reach for the Beavers before halftime, and starters will begin to take a seat starting midway through the third quarter. Not only will USC cover the 34-point spread, they will also come close to pitching a shutout against the Beavers. Only a late score will end the bid to hold the Beavers scoreless, but those garbage-time points will mean little in the grand scheme of things as USC runs away with victory.
Final Score: USC 48, Oregon State 7