USC gets Washington at the Coliseum on Saturday, and the Trojans are walking into a game that carries plenty of pressure, even if the ticket market says fans can still get in without breaking the bank.
After a 41-27 loss to No. 15 Oregon knocked a serious dent in USC’s College Football Playoff hopes, Lincoln Riley’s team is trying to steady itself against the No.
18 Trojans’ next test - a Big Ten matchup with the Washington Huskies that could help stop the slide and get the season pointed back in the right direction. USC is also trying to snap a three-game losing streak in the series and beat Washington for the first time since 2016.
The weather may make this one feel even bigger. The National Weather Service is calling for 93 degrees at kickoff, and that kind of heat could make the Coliseum as punishing as the opener against San Jose State, when USC won 42-26 on Aug. 29.
The price to watch in person is manageable by major-conference standards. Tickets on SeatGeek were listed as low as $50, though those prices can change.
This is only the second game in a brutal six-game run for the Trojans, and the road ahead is loaded. After Washington, USC faces Penn State on Oct.
10, Wisconsin on Oct. 24, No.
5 Ohio State on Oct. 31, and No. 6 Indiana on Nov.
The Buckeyes and Hoosiers will loom largest when it comes to the Trojans’ CFP chances, but Penn State and Wisconsin are no soft landing spots either. USC has to go to Beaver Stadium for Penn State’s annual “whiteout” game, one of the toughest atmospheres in the sport. Wisconsin, meanwhile, comes in off a 24-20 come-from-behind upset of Penn State and could turn Camp Randall into another problem for the Trojans.
If USC stumbles through that five-game stretch, the heat around Riley will only grow. The source material notes that despite his buyout being over $70 million, some believe a season without a signature win and a CFP berth could spell the end of his time in Los Angeles.
On the field, the challenge starts with Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr., who has given defenses problems both through the air and on the ground. Through four games, Williams has thrown for 1,129 yards, seven touchdowns and three interceptions. In Washington’s 27-24 home loss to Minnesota in Week 4, those two interceptions hurt badly.
Williams finished that game 18 of 28 for 239 yards, two touchdowns and two picks.
For USC’s secondary, the biggest assignment may be keeping Dezman Roebuck from turning the top off the defense. With former standout Denzel Boston gone to the NFL and drafted by the Cleveland Browns, Roebuck has become the Huskies’ go-to receiver. He has 30 catches for 308 yards and one touchdown in four games, and the Trojans cannot afford to let him win deep.
Oddsmakers still like USC by a fair margin. The Trojans are 9.5-point favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook, with kickoff set for 4:30 p.m. PT on NBC.
In Other News...
Washington Must Solve USCs Biggest Mismatch To Get Back On Track
Washingtons defensive staff has spent part of the week sorting through the problems USC can create, and one of the most interesting is right in the middle of the Trojans passing game. Defensive coordinator Ryan Walters singled out true freshman tight end Mark Bowman ahead of the matchup, pointing to the kind of athletic, physical presence that can force a defense to adjust in a hurry. For a Huskies group trying to steady itself, the assignment is less about name recognition and more about handling a young pass catcher who already looks like a central piece of the offense.
Bowman has emerged quickly for USC, giving the Trojans a reliable target early in his career and adding another layer to a matchup Washington cannot afford to misread. His production through five games has already shown why he draws so much attention, but the bigger issue for the Huskies is what he can do when defenses start keying on him and still have to account for the rest of USCs skill talent. If Washington is going to get back on track, this is the kind of mismatch it has to solve before it turns into a long night. [Read more 🡒]
Former Huskies Playmaker Suddenly Has An NFL Opportunity Again
Dante Pettis is back in the league mix after earning a tryout with the San Francisco 49ers and landing on their practice squad. For Washington fans, it is another reminder of how much talent the former Huskies playmaker carried into the NFL, where he has moved through several teams since the 49ers first drafted him in 2018.
The timing gives Pettis a real chance to push for more than just a holding pattern on the scout squad. San Francisco could still elevate him to the 53-man roster for an upcoming game against the Denver Broncos, which would put him one step closer to getting meaningful snaps again and another chance to carve out a role. [Read more 🡒]
Washington Could Get A Crucial Veteran Boost Very Soon
Washingtons defensive front could be in line for a timely veteran addition, with Taitai Uiagalelei still waiting on a court ruling that will determine whether he can return for a fifth year. The Huskies defensive tackle spent one season in Seattle after three years at Arizona and became a steady presence up front, giving the staff an experienced piece to build around as the season moves along.
Uiagaleleis case is tied to a legal injunction involving NCAA eligibility rule changes, so the decision sits outside the usual football calendar and leaves his status unresolved for now. For Washington, the appeal is obvious: a proven interior defender with a year in the program already under his belt could give the Huskies a much-needed boost, if the ruling eventually goes their way. [Read more 🡒]