The Huddle: No. 7 USC at No. 16 UCLA
The No. 7 USC Trojans (9-1, 7-1) and No. 16 UCLA Bruins (8-2, 5-2) are set for the biggest Crosstown Showdown in years on Saturday evening at the Rose Bowl. A win by the Trojans will send them to the Pac-12 Championship Game, while a win by the Bruins will keep UCLA firmly in the mix for a spot in the game. Check out The Huddle for all the news, notes, names and numbers you need in order to watch the Trojans take on the Bruins.
USC Playing Without Travis Dye
The most significant event during USC’s game against Colorado last week occurred late in the first half when Trojans’ running back Travis Dye was tackled and stayed down on the turf. Dye was eventually carted off the field and spent the remainder of the game on crutches. After the game, USC head coach Lincoln Riley said Dye would miss the rest of the season, forcing the Trojans to play their biggest games of the year without one of their most important players, on and off the field.
Rivalry Talk
USC players didn’t exactly take the bait when UCLA quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson said early in the week that the Bruins want to score more than 60 points against USC this year just as they did last season. And USC head coach Lincoln Riley said they won’t put too much into pumping up the rivalry stakes this week.
Riley also spoke about what UCLA has in its quarterback and the fact that USC players know what’s at stake on Saturday night.
The Challenge Awaiting USC
This UCLA offense is one of the best units in the country. The Bruins bring in a top-five offense into this game and USC understands the challenges presented by Thompson-Robinson and running back Zach Charbonnet especially.
Available Players
Riley said Thursday that he expects wide receiver Mario Williams and linebacker Eric Gentry to be available for the Trojans on Saturday. It’ll be worth watching to see how much both can give for 60 minutes. Neither player has seen the field since USC’s one-point loss to Utah in mid-October. It would be significant is both are able to play effectively.
Crosstown Showdown Coverage
WeAreSC’s Greg Katz took an early look at the USC – UCLA matchup with his IMHO Sunday following the win against Colorado. And followed that up with all the Obvious/Not So Obvious info to set the stage for this big rivalry game. And if you’re heading to the game, check out the Travel Guide ahead of your trip to Pasadena.
The WeAreSC staff got together for two Inside the Trojans’ Huddle shows this week. The first reviewed the win against Colorado and walked down memory lane to discuss the best and worst memories of USC – UCLA. The second took a deep dive into previewing the USC – UCLA matchup.
WeAreSC’s Marc Kulkin took away some Notes and Observations from Tuesday’s USC practice. And he offers some predictions for the game and the season in this week’s Yay or Nay.
And before kickoff, make sure you check out the pregame USC – UCLA speech from WeAreSC’s Chris Arledge.
