USC Athletics

No. 11 USC Trojans (9-2, 7-1) vs. UCLA Bruins (5-5, 3-4)

Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum at 5 p.m. PT on ABC

Bruin to Watch: Junior QB Josh Rosen

Rosen may not have lived up to all the "chosen" hype in Westwood, but underestimate him at your own peril. He's the most talented passer that the Trojans have faced this year, averaging a Pac-12 best 343.8 yards per game through the air. He's also extremely competitive, so he would like nothing more than to leave his mark on the Crosstown Showdown by upsetting USC in what looks like an otherwise lost season for UCLA. Like USC QB Sam Darnold, Rosen is an underrated athlete who keeps his eyes down the field when he scrambles.

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3 Keys

Frozen Rosen

Rosen was injured and sat out last year's USC game, but the Trojans forced him into mistakes in 2015 by collapsing the pocket on the UCLA QB. Just a true freshman then, Rosen threw for 227 yards and a TD, but he turned the ball over three times (two interceptions and a fumble). USC head coach Clay Helton has made it clear all week that pressure is the key. If Rosen has time, he will carve the Trojans up. But, if USC's sackmasters (No. 2 in the nation) can move him off his spot, he is prone to gambling with the football.

Too Obvious

It does not take a genius to figure out UCLA's weakness on defense. The Bruins are dead last in the conference by a massive margin in rush defense. They give up a startling 302.3 yards per game on the ground. USC will no doubt try to exploit UCLA's soft spot with RB Ronald Jones II, but the Trojans also don't want to take themselves out of their game plan. The Bruins will likely sell out to stop the run just as Colorado (the second-worst run defense in the Pac-12) did last week, so USC will look to stay balanced. The Trojans are rolling offensively, putting up 1,771 total yards over the last three games.

Ring the Bell

Even with the Pac-12 South already clinched, USC has so much more on the line than UCLA. With a win, the Trojans finish the regular season undefeated at home and unbeaten in November. They would also make it back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time since 2007-08. It's Senior Day. It's UCLA. There is no shortage of motivation. The Bruins are simply trying to play spoilers and gain bowl eligibility in the process. Don't let your rival salvage their season at your expense.