USC
Brigham Young
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No. 24 USC Football Begins Road Play With Rare Trip To BYU
September 08, 2019 | Football, Features
*It's only the third time the Trojans and Cougars have ever met, and the first time in 15 years. And it's just USC's second trip to Provo. The Cougars return the favor with Los Angeles games in 2021 and 2023.
*Head coach Clay Helton's Trojans are off to a 2-0 start, including a convincing home win last week over No. 23 Stanford, thanks to a dynamic offense, a make-key-stops defense and big plays from special teams. True freshman QB Kedon Slovis, who leads the nation in completion percentage (82.9%), had a spectacular debut last week filling in for injured QB JT Daniels, throwing for more yards (377), TDs (3) and completions (28) and completing a higher percentage of passes (84.8%) than any other Trojan first-year frosh did in his unveiling. The receiving corps--led by WRs Michael Pittman Jr., Tyler Vaughns (a pair of 100-yard outings in 2019) and Amon-Ra St. Brown (2 TDs versus Stanford)--is among the elite in the country. TBs Vavae Malepeai and Stephen Carr have scored 6 touchdowns already in 2019. USC's defense, which limited the Cardinal to just 98 of its 335 total yards on the ground, features veterans like DL Christian Rector and ILB John Houston Jr. and a number of youngsters who are making an impact, such as DL Jay Tufele, S Talanoa Hufanga, CBs Olaijah Griffin (tops in the nation in pass deflections) and Greg Johnson (he had a key pick in the fourth quarter versus Stanford) and DL Drake Jackson and ILB Palaie Gaoteote IV.
*BYU is led by former Cougar fullback Kalani Sitake, now in his fourth year as head coach. BYU--with 18 returning starters--posted a dramatic 2-overtime comeback win at Tennesse last week after dropping its 2019 opener to Utah. QB Zach Wilson, who set the school's freshman passing efficiency record last season, directs the offense. WR Micah Simon and TE Matt Bushman, a 2017 Freshman All-American, are the top pass catchers, while the leading rusher is South Carolina graduate transfer RB Ty'son Williams. C James Empey, a 2018 Freshman All-American, anchors the offensive line. Top tacklers include LB Kavika Fonua, SS Austin Lee and LB Zayne Anderson. The Cougars are 20th nationally in passing yards allowed.
*It is the start of Extra Yard For Teachers Week, a collegiate football initiative.
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