Sports
USC Football Aims for Continued Success Against Utah State
After a significant 27-20 victory over then-No. 13 LSU at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, USC football is preparing for its home opener at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Trojans’ impressive performance in the Modelo Vegas Kickoff Classic propelled them 10 spots in the AP rankings, landing them at No. 13 after beginning the preseason poll at No. 23.
USC’s quarterback, Miller Moss, received recognition for his outstanding play by earning the Big Ten‘s Offensive Player of the Week title. In the game against LSU, Moss completed 27 out of 36 passes for a total of 378 yards and one touchdown, showcasing his ability to connect with ten different receivers.
Despite Moss’s success in the passing game, USC’s running game showed room for improvement. Redshirt senior running back Woody Marks contributed two rushing touchdowns, including the crucial game-winning touchdown with only eight seconds left on the clock. To develop a more balanced offensive strategy against Utah State, USC must integrate its running backs more effectively.
On the defensive side, USC introduced a new scheme under first-year coordinator D’Anton Lynn. Although the Trojans struggled to contain LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, who threw for 304 yards and two touchdowns, they effectively limited the Tigers to just 117 rushing yards.
Key defensive players such as redshirt sophomore safety Kamari Ramsey and senior linebacker Eric Gentry performed admirably, combining for 16 tackles. Their contributions will be critical as USC aims to strengthen its defense against the Utah State offense. With Michigan looming in two weeks, the matchup against the Aggies provides an opportunity to correct mistakes from the LSU game.
USC enters this contest with a strong 6-0 history against Utah State, with each previous game held at the Coliseum. The last encounter between the two teams occurred in 2016, where USC triumphed 45-7.
Utah State, under interim head coach Nate Dreiling, started their season with a victory at home, defeating Robert Morris 36-14. Following an injury to their quarterback Spencer Petras, former Utah quarterback Bryson Barnes may step in as the starting quarterback for the Aggies after his performance against Robert Morris.
The USC Trojans are set to make their Big Ten Network debut on Saturday at 8 p.m. against Utah State at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
