University Southern California Trojans
2019 Game 12: USC vs. UCLA
November 22, 2019 | Football, USC Ripsit Blog, Features
USC clinches the Pac-12 South with a win and a loss by Utah.
UCLA Bruins (4-6, 4-3) at No. 23 USC Trojans (7-4, 6-2)
United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum at 12:30 p.m. PT on ABC
Bruin to Watch: Senior RB Joshua Kelley
The Trojans certainly did not get the memo to watch Kelley last season when he went for 289 yards on 40 carries in the Rose Bowl. It was one of the greatest rushing performances by an opponent in school history and brought back bad memories of Kenjon Barner at the Coliseum in 2012 (321 yards rushing). Not coincidentally, both backs were coached by Chip Kelly whose run scheme has always given the Trojans fits. USC is not alone though. Kelley is second in the Pac-12 in rushing, averaging 104 yards per game, and he has 10 rushing touchdowns in his last 6 games.
3 Keys
Stop Both Runners
Kelley is not the Trojans only problem in the UCLA backfield. Sophomore QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who did not play in last year's game, is also fleet of foot. He's not looking to hang in the pocket for long, running the ball 10 or more times in 6 of his 9 starts. Thompson-Robinson has arm talent as well, but the Trojans would much rather see the Bruins try to beat them through the air than pounding away on the ground. UCLA's offensive identity is well established by this point, ranking 11th in the Pac-12 in passing, but 5th in rushing.
Exploit the Matchup
USC's offensive identity is also well established. The Trojans are 11th in the nation in passing offense, rocketing up the rankings with 400-yard games in three of the last four. The receivers have always been in place, but USC's QB carousel for the first half of the season led to understandable inconsistency. However, Kedon Slovis has taken command of the job, starting six consecutive games and throwing 19 touchdowns to 5 interceptions in that span. UCLA's pass defense is 10th in the Pac-12, so the Trojans should be licking their chops.
No Regrets
USC has been on a revenge tour the last couple of weeks, beating ASU and Cal, two teams that knocked the Trojans off last year. While those two wins were nice, no loss stings more than one to the Bruins, and USC has had 368 days to think about one that frustratingly got away in Pasadena. For the small senior class, this is the final time running out of the Coliseum tunnel, and there's only one way they want to remember it. Sure, USC wants an 8th win, a 7th in conference, and to stay in the Rose Bowl race, but this is about beating UCLA and righting a wrong.
United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum at 12:30 p.m. PT on ABC
Bruin to Watch: Senior RB Joshua KelleyThe Trojans certainly did not get the memo to watch Kelley last season when he went for 289 yards on 40 carries in the Rose Bowl. It was one of the greatest rushing performances by an opponent in school history and brought back bad memories of Kenjon Barner at the Coliseum in 2012 (321 yards rushing). Not coincidentally, both backs were coached by Chip Kelly whose run scheme has always given the Trojans fits. USC is not alone though. Kelley is second in the Pac-12 in rushing, averaging 104 yards per game, and he has 10 rushing touchdowns in his last 6 games.
3 Keys
Stop Both Runners
Kelley is not the Trojans only problem in the UCLA backfield. Sophomore QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who did not play in last year's game, is also fleet of foot. He's not looking to hang in the pocket for long, running the ball 10 or more times in 6 of his 9 starts. Thompson-Robinson has arm talent as well, but the Trojans would much rather see the Bruins try to beat them through the air than pounding away on the ground. UCLA's offensive identity is well established by this point, ranking 11th in the Pac-12 in passing, but 5th in rushing.
Exploit the Matchup
USC's offensive identity is also well established. The Trojans are 11th in the nation in passing offense, rocketing up the rankings with 400-yard games in three of the last four. The receivers have always been in place, but USC's QB carousel for the first half of the season led to understandable inconsistency. However, Kedon Slovis has taken command of the job, starting six consecutive games and throwing 19 touchdowns to 5 interceptions in that span. UCLA's pass defense is 10th in the Pac-12, so the Trojans should be licking their chops.
No Regrets
USC has been on a revenge tour the last couple of weeks, beating ASU and Cal, two teams that knocked the Trojans off last year. While those two wins were nice, no loss stings more than one to the Bruins, and USC has had 368 days to think about one that frustratingly got away in Pasadena. For the small senior class, this is the final time running out of the Coliseum tunnel, and there's only one way they want to remember it. Sure, USC wants an 8th win, a 7th in conference, and to stay in the Rose Bowl race, but this is about beating UCLA and righting a wrong.
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