Head-to-head info
USC owns a 51-31-4 record all-time against Washington, but the Huskies have won two straight versus the Trojans. Last season it was a high-scoring 52-42 victory over USC in Los Angeles. The last time they met in Seattle, the Huskies won 28-14 in 2019. Both of these programs look very different than 2023, so it should be an interesting one.
USC finding its way
Following the departure of Caleb Williams, it was always going to be difficult for USC to be the same type of force. There was serious pressure on the shoulders of new quarterback Miller Moss and he hasn’t always come through. But, the Trojans snapped a three-game skid in Week 9 and have found some renewed confidence.
Moss played well, completing 20 of 28 passes for 308 yards and two touchdowns. That was actually his second consecutive strong performance, also putting up numbers in a loss to Penn State prior. While the yardage between the Trojans and Rutgers was similar, USC capitalized on their opportunities a lot more.
Running back Woody Marks stole the show. He rushed for 94 yards on 15 carries for three touchdowns, accounting for half of his team’s points. Marks is easily USC’s most lethal player – he leads them in catches (30) and has averaged 5.7 yards per carry for eight rushing touchdowns. If Marks is on his game in Week 10, the Trojans should put up points. USC is a very slim -1.5-point favorite at Sports Interaction.
Can Washington end the skid?
It hasn’t been a pretty season for the Huskies. A year after losing in the national championship to the Michigan Wolverines, Washington lost numerous key players to the draft, and their head coach, Kalen DeBoer, took over for Nick Saban at Alabama. Needless to say, the transition isn’t exactly smooth.
While the Huskies did beat Michigan in a rematch in Week 6, that’s about their only impressive win. The others were against smaller programs that had no right to beat Washington. Across the last two games, the defense has allowed 71 points while the offense has scored just 33. Washington actually outgained Indiana last weekend but was just 3 for 11 on third downs.
Quarterback Will Rogers completed 19 of 26 passes for 202 yards and no touchdowns while throwing two interceptions. It wasn’t a pretty day for the signal caller. Washington’s defense isn’t typically bad, allowing the 13th-lowest amount of total yards in the country. They need to find that brilliance again on Saturday if a third win in a row against USC is going to become a reality. For what it’s worth, they haven’t lost at home this season. That’s probably why the Huskies are barely an underdog at online betting sites.
