Saturday's game in Tempe is lining up to be an intriguing matchup in several key areas that USC places extra importance on.
First and foremost, in the turnover battle, the Sun Devils have a decided edge so far in 2009. Behind a conference-best 21 takeaways, including 13 interceptions and eight fumble recoveries, Arizona State is plus-7 in the all-important turnover margin stat category. USC, meanwhile, has just 10 takeaways this season and a minus-3 turnover margin.
In penalties, USC is receiving 63.4 yards per game, while Arizona State is racking up a Pac-10-worst 90.6 yards per game.
And finally, when it comes to third downs, both teams are very even. The Trojans convert on 35 percent of third-down opportunities, while the USC defense is allowing the same clip for opponents. And Arizona State's offense is successful on 32 percent of third-down conversions, while its defense leads the conference by allowing just 33 percent of opponent third downs to be converted.
University Southern California Trojans
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