[Editor’s Note: Saturday’s game, 12:30, channel 7.]
Like old times. Rodney Peete of USC vs. Troy Aikman of UCLA in a game that really means something.
Saturday afternoon it will be senior quarterback Cody Kessler of USC against Bruin freshman quarterback Josh Rosen for the Pac-12’s South Division championship.
Both teams will be missing key players due to injuries. JuJu Smith-Schuster, the Trojans’ best receiver, broken hand and all, is battling back.
In a peculiar season for the Trojans and Bruins, UCLA (5-3, 8-3) beat Utah 17-9 last week and SC (5-3, 7-4) lost big Oregon 48-28.
Utah has the same South Division record of 5-3, but two of their Pac-12 losses have been to USC and UCLA.
The Trojans made enough mistakes on defense against Oregon last week to make you wonder if they are ready to face the sensational Rosen. Oregon quarterback Vernon Adams Jr., from Pasadena, torched the Trojans for 407 yards passing and six scores.
For the USC offense, this could be Kessler’s last opportunity to beat a Top 25. If the Trojans beat the Bruins, it will be their first win 50-0 victory 2011 in the Coliseum
UCLA will go as far as Rosen and running back Paul Perkins take them. They also rely on defense that held Utah to nine points, remembering that the Utes’ No. 1 running back was injured.
Mr. Finley may be contacted at sfinley50@aol.com
