Washington and No. 18 USC both try to bounce back from Big Ten losses when they meet Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Washington vs. USC game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC, with Washington’s struggling run game and USC’s leaky defense in focus.
USC (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten) lost 41-27 at home to then-No. 20 Oregon last week, the program’s fifth straight defeat to the Ducks, according to CBS Sports. Washington (3-1, 0-1) fell 27-24 at home to Minnesota in its Big Ten opener and ran for just 40 yards on 27 carries. Both teams want to avoid back-to-back losses.
Washington vs. USC game information
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 3
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Venue: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles
- TV: NBC
- Line: USC by 9.5, total 58.5 (DraftKings, via ESPN)
Washington outlook
The Huskies’ ground game has been their biggest problem entering Washington vs. USC. Washington averages 107.3 rushing yards per game, 124th among 138 FBS teams, CBS Sports reported. Among power-conference programs, only Cal, Oklahoma, Stanford and Arkansas rank lower.
Without a running game, quarterback Demond Williams Jr. has taken a beating. He has been sacked 10 times this season, seven of them against Minnesota. Williams has still thrown for 1,129 yards with seven touchdowns and three interceptions, and wide receiver Dezmen Roebuck is his top target with 30 catches for 308 yards, according to ESPN.
Huskies coach Jedd Fisch didn’t mince words after the loss. “We have to be better at running the football. We have to be better at taking care of the quarterback,” Fisch said Monday, according to CBS Sports. “We can’t let him get sacked, [and] he’s got to not get sacked. The receivers have to win [their matchups].”
Washington has converted just 17 of 50 third downs this season. USC’s opponents have converted 22 of 54.
USC outlook
USC’s offense hasn’t been the issue for the Trojans heading into Washington vs. USC. Quarterback Jayden Maiava has thrown at least two touchdown passes and topped 260 passing yards in all five games. He is 110 of 157 for 1,499 yards with 14 touchdowns and two interceptions, per ESPN, and threw for 326 yards and two scores against Oregon.
Running back King Miller has run for 412 yards and three touchdowns. Wide receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt leads the team with 25 catches for 372 yards and three touchdowns, including seven catches for 114 yards and a score against the Ducks.
The concern is on defense. USC has allowed at least 30 points in three of its last four games: 30 to Louisiana, 35 to Rutgers and 41 to Oregon. First-year defensive coordinator Gary Patterson’s unit had five sacks against Fresno State but just one each against San Jose State, Louisiana and Rutgers, and none against Oregon, CBS Sports reported.
The Trojans will also be without linebacker Desman Stephens, who must serve a one-game suspension for a late hit on Oregon quarterback Dante Moore and a celebration penalty, according to CBS Sports.
USC coach Lincoln Riley pushed back on concerns after the loss. “We didn’t get run out of the stadium,” Riley said Tuesday. “There’s a lot of good things on that tape.”
Key Washington vs. USC matchup
Washington’s offensive line against USC’s pass rush could decide Washington vs. USC. The Huskies have allowed 10 sacks in four games and were overwhelmed up front by Minnesota, which held them to 40 rushing yards and forced Williams into obvious passing downs.
USC’s pass rush, though, has been inconsistent. If the Trojans can recreate the pressure they showed against Fresno State, they could force the same kind of breakdowns that sank Washington a week ago. If not, Williams and Roebuck should have time against a defense that has allowed 30-plus points three times.
Players to watch
Jayden Maiava, USC quarterback
Maiava has topped 260 yards and thrown multiple touchdowns in every game. He faces a Washington defense that gave up 27 points to Minnesota.
Demond Williams Jr., Washington quarterback
Williams has carried a heavy load with 1,129 passing yards and a team-high 165 rushing yards, but protection problems have kept him under duress. How he handles USC’s pressure, with Stephens sidelined, will go a long way toward deciding Washington’s output.
King Miller, USC running back
Miller ran for 74 yards on 13 carries against Oregon, including a 27-yard run. A productive day on the ground would take pressure off Maiava and keep Washington’s defense off balance.
What to watch
Both sides in Washington vs. USC are trying to keep a one-game skid from becoming a trend. For USC, the stakes are higher: the Trojans still face three ranked opponents, including No. 5 Ohio State and No. 6 Indiana, according to Sports Illustrated, leaving little room for error in their College Football Playoff push. Indiana plays at Rutgers on Saturday, and Ohio State visits Iowa in another key Big Ten game.
For Washington, the Washington vs. USC matchup is a chance to show the run-game and line problems from the Minnesota loss were an aberration. With the Huskies 0-1 and the Trojans 1-1 in league play, the loser falls further back in the Big Ten race. For more, see our college football coverage.
Reporting from CBS Sports and Sports Illustrated contributed to this story. Statistics, rankings and schedule: ESPN and the AP Top 25.
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