What will be the key in the USC-Utah game? Caleb Williams? The USC defense?
We already know Williams is probably going to play a great game. And the USC defense will be vulnerable, as usual.
But how will Utah QB Cameron Rising play?
He passed for 415 yards and rushed for 3 TDs in the teams’ last meeting. But there’s been moments this season where Rising’s interceptions have been costly in losses at Florida and Oregon.
Which Rising will USC see Friday? There’s an argument he hasn’t been the same since the USC game. But he’s invaluable to Utah. If he can avoid turnovers, it will be a huge difference for the Utes. And it will be just as big for USC to force turnovers.
Utah is obviously going to want to rush the ball. But Rising is the X-factor. Good and bad. Rising rushed for 60 yards against USC. That cannot happen again.
InsideUSC with Scott Wolf 
ND was good but I really think that Utah(as well as UCLA) would beat ND.
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Well, we know UCLA can beat Utah….
#TimeForUSCToBeatUtahToo
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Makes sense to me
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One USC pundant was saying that LR is a very competitive guy. When he was coach at Oklahoma, there were 2 times that he lost to teams during the regular season(Texas and Iowa State) and then met them again in the Big 12 championship. Both times Oklahoma won. It’s hard to beat a good team twice in one season.
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Especially if you never really beat them once….
#UtahGotPac12OfficatingHelp…
#[3PenaltiesOn4PlaysOnFinalUSCDrive…
#…CouldTheyBeMoreFuckingObvious]?
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Scotty leaves out the fact that an interception was takin of the board last time, by a cheap roughing the passer penalty. Scotty just loves to tell have truths to sell his narrative. Typical liberals!
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Noooooo. Scott told Petros he’s a MAGA Republican ….who took part in January 6th…but hasn’t been contacted by the FBI yet [cuz he wore a Josh Rosen mask]….
#CrazyLikeAFox
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The Irish say “win one for the gipper”
I say “win one for John Wayne”
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I think the Linc-dog has the ability to see through Utah’s strengths and weaknesses. If there is an angle he can exploit, he will do it. This is a better D than what we had before, and we are at strength on O. Jones has been incredible. Of course give the applause to the O line who is opening gaping holes to run through.
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Half truths*
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What is your problem Boobs? Conservatives do nothing for you
lovers of being blind followers.
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I’d rather see him running than throwing the ball to Kincaid. Hopefully, The linemen are healthy but with the depth they’ve developed, Max Williams playing the slot, they can keep Utah to under 30 points for the victory.
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To prepare for Rising, Grinch has the defense reading The Joy of Sacks.
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Very cute, Rushmore.
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Hey S like you don’t know what the fuc is going on with the biased liberal media? Only telling half the story of what’s going on. Why do you think all the Left wingers are losing their damn minds about Elon musk buying Twitter, bringing back freedom of speech and restoring back the people’s constitutional rights to freedom of speech. I can’t stand fucin Rino’s either. I’m for the truth&facts and for the people of the United States of America. I’m an independent what are the politicians on both sides, going to do for us instead of selling us out?.
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Scooter,
If SC gets ahead and plays ball control like they did against nd, then SC wins. SC’s defense needs to show up like they did against ugly and nd. They stopped both teams from either tying, going ahead, or getting the game close. Jones will run for over 100 yards and Williams will pass for over 200 if not more. I am expecting a win from SC and I think they will win this game.
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SC has seen very good quarterback play in their last 2 “playoff” games with sucla & ND and here comes another one a’Rising, this kid keeps me up at night along with the SC coaches simply in recalling how he gallantly cruised in for the 2-pointer to beat SC at the end, a gutsy call by Utah that escaped the appreciation of SC fans too busy grumbling about bad calls forgetting the ‘axiom’ never blame the referees win the darn thing despite them
Mentally Utah comes in super-charged having already beat these guys once before this year and with a second straight Rose Bowl bid waiting to see if the Utes can beat the Trojans again
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As great a coach as Kyle is, as great a QB as Rising is…..I think it’s hard to repeat against a good team….let alone a superior team.
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Gee MG, SUCC was so superior that they didn’t even bother to touch Rising as he cruised in for the winning 2pt conversion.
And don’t forget, the ref’s had all their money on Utah……LOL
#Why is everybody picking on Clown U?
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How difficult is it to be you these days?
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Interestingly, Coach Whit played most of his stars at CU last Saturday.
Here’s my scouting report from the pressbox.
1. Kincaid, who has been gimpy since the USC game (or shortly thereafter) played a half and was “shaken up” on a TD catch in Boulder.
He’s had a shoulder injury. He fell right onto his helmet on a very hard/cold CU turf. Took 5-10 minutes to get him up and moving. HE walked under his own power to the lockerroom and did not play again.
(Kuithe has been out all year. TE #3 Yassmin is pretty darn athletic.)
2. Top RB Tavion Thomas has a toe injury and declared for the NFL draft after Utah’s season imploded vs Oregon. He has not played the last few weeks. Micah Bernard–at 6′ 202lb is the usual Utah RB that Whit likes. I think we could control him. Jaquinden Jackson had a big game in the second half versus CU–hard to say much as CU is #111 or so in CFB versus the rush.
3. Rising is Rising. Great talent. Great point guard. Playing with a brace on one of his knees. If Gentry is available, gonna have to spy a lot. Maybe Tuli, Taleni, Fig, etc get after him. Maybe #0 gets a well-deserved sack?
4. FINALLY, lockdown CB C Phillips III DID NOT PLAY a single down versus CU. I find nothing on the injury report and nothing on the twitter feed. A RS soph, He’s a first round pick when his day comes.
A great ball-hawk who takes his INT’s to the House.
Play our best game and forget about trophies and the like and we win a tight one in Vegas.
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Excellent analysis. Thanks, Bourbon. Gin for me.
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In the 1st game SC lost their key WR and MIB they are back. SC’s knowledge base from the last two teams is off the chain. SC’s mindset to approaching games is unreal and has been increasing. SC is the better team pound for pound and their WR’s are off the charts. SC’s QB now knows how to go to his other wideouts B4 he didn’t…Hello
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I know fans are thinking trophies —which is fine. I hope Caleb isn’t.
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Let’s remember that the last game the refs had maybe 4 pivotal penalties that turned the game. USC intercepting Rising in the endzone and then driving for a TD would have destroyed the Utes chance at a close game. I dont think they can do that with everyone watching this game.
Riley’s plan will be to get up 21-0 or 28-7 in the first half. We need to stop the Utes twice and have 3 drives that end with a TD and then just match them the rest of the game.
Success to me means Miller Moss getting into the game for the last two drives because CW already has the Heisman locked up and we are up by 3-4 scores.
Massacre the Utes.
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To paraphrase Bruce Campbell from Army of Darkness, “The chances of Miller playing are slim and none….and slim just left town.”
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you are a dream-crusher…maybe i am still on a high from the ND game.
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Your dreams are my dreams, gametv….Pac 12 Championship and Playoff spot.
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Did Utah get faster and more athletic? Notre Dame has WAY more Sunday guys, speed and athleticism than Utah. UCLA mangled Utah. The altitude helped Utah as well as the Trojans naivete. Now this team had won big games without Travis Dye and Eric Gentry. The coaches trust the players more, all the players not just the stars.
I can’t wait to see what happens Friday.
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I do not trust USC’s defense. If Caleb is not spot on, this will be another loss unfortunately.
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yeah…. right…
#smdh
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SC Grad,
Tell that to the rb for ugly and nd. Nothing from them. SC’s defense forced the game to go through their qb’s. ugly qb turned the ball over 4 times and nd qb turned the ball over twice. I like our defense.
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Getting into a bowl game or CFP is so important to the development of this USC team. Last year, the end of the regular season was the end of the line, no more practices. So important for teams to be in a bowl. Lots of time for good coaches to improve the team.
Can the USC defense improve before meeting Georgia? I’m sure Riley will find another wrinkle to his game to unleash in the CFP.
I would love to see USC in the finalists for the Joe Moore award for the best o-line.
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They deserve it. What a rapid improvement.
#SwaggerIsBack!
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My early prediction is that Caleb will put something on his finger nails, which will make horrible sound when scraped on a chalkboard.
When Utah loses the president of the school will choke to death on his cigar. The committee will put Alabama in the playoffs stating that it’s just not a playoff without Alabama.
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