Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum at 7:30 p.m. PT on ESPN and WatchESPN
Bear to Watch: Senior QB Davis WebbUSC head coach Clay Helton unequivocally called Webb "the best quarterback we have faced this year," and it is easy to see why. He leads the Pac-12 and ranks third in the nation in passing at 368.7 yards per game. The Texas Tech transfer has quickly filled the void left by Jared Goff, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. While Webb may be without his top target, Pac-12 leading receiver Chad Hansen, it did not seem to bother him against Oregon last week when he threw for 325 yards and 5 TDs.
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3 Keys
Dictate the Terms
Cal has scored 40 or more points in six of seven games this season, but the Bears have yielded 40+ five times, so their strategy is clear. Head coach Sonny Dykes wants to lure opponents into a shootout and beat them late (five of their seven games have been decided by 7 points or less). Cal averages 89.6 plays per game (second most in the nation), while the Trojans are plodders by comparison (71.9 plays per game, 85th in the country). USC must impose its style to control the tempo of the game just like it did last year in a 27-21 victory in Berkeley.
Weave a Tangled Webb
Despite throwing 51.9 passes per game (second most in the nation), the Bears have only allowed 14 sacks (4th best in the Pac-12). Webb will release the ball quickly, so the Trojans must put pressure in his face to get him off his spot and out of rhythm. If his field of vision is compromised and he cannot rely on his first read, the blitzers and edge rushers will have time to get home. Webb is not a particularly mobile quarterback, amassing -86 yards rushing this season, so if the Trojans can force him to hold onto the ball, they will have a party in the backfield.
Be Ruthless
Quite simply, the Trojans can put up a number in this game if they are efficient in the red zone and hold on to the football. The Bears are last in the Pac-12 in rush defense and 11th in total defense and scoring defense. As it proved against Arizona and Arizona State, USC can be an offensive machine when it gets out if its own way. The Trojans are rolling with Sam Darnold at quarterback, averaging 36.7 points per game over their last three contests (25th in the country in that span). Even without Justin Davis and Steven Mitchell, Darnold has a plethora of weapons to whom he can distribute the ball, starting with JuJu Smith-Schuster who has six touchdowns over his last three games.
