No. 8 USC vs. Colorado: Two rebuilt teams collide Saturday morning
Thuc Nhi Nguyen (LA Times) — Lincoln Riley knows the game plan. Big-name coach takes over a struggling program, brings a slew of talented transfers, wins big early behind a dynamic quarterback. National attention pours in.
But even Riley didn’t do it like this.
Deion Sanders has taken the same blueprint from Riley’s first year at USC and blown it to unseen proportions at Colorado, turning the Buffaloes into college football’s new “it” team. Rappers, NBA stars and A-list actors pack the sideline at Folsom Field to catch a glimpse of Coach Prime. Colorado’s four games are all among the nation’s top seven most-watched games this season, led by 10.03 million viewers who tuned in to ABC to watch Colorado get blown out by Oregon last weekend. Saturday will be Colorado’s third home game and the third time Fox’s “Big Noon Kickoff” will broadcast from Folsom Field.
Here are four things to watch for USC’s game against Colorado (3-1, 0-1 Pac-12) at 9 a.m. PDT (Fox):
Heisman winner vs. Heisman hopeful
One is the current king of college football. The other is a challenger to the throne. USC quarterback Caleb Williams and Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders are playing critical roles in turning their programs around with their coaches.
“You’ve got two coaches that came in with guys that they’ve obviously trusted and had experience with,” Riley said. “I don’t think you can put a price tag on that from the team aspect and building the culture in the beginning.”
Shedeur, the younger of the Sanders brothers playing for Colorado, followed his father from Jackson State to Boulder. He promptly became a viral sensation for name-dropping Tom Brady in a postgame SportsCenter interview and flashing his custom luxury watch in the face of a Nebraska opponent, which has become his signature celebration.
Shedeur ranks second in the country with 352.5 passing yards per game, completing 76.9% percent of his passes with 11 touchdowns to one interception during his first year at the FBS level. The former three-star high school prospect led Jackson State to a 23-3 record in two years as a starting quarterback.
Aerial attack
USC’s remade defensive front has lived up to the hype with four sacks and a nation-leading 10.2 tackles for loss per game. Against Colorado’s pass-heavy offense, the secondary will get a chance to make a statement.
Colorado is the least efficient running team in the country, averaging 1.91 yards per carry, necessitating Shedeur Sanders’ 169 pass attempts that lead all Pac-12 quarterbacks.
Xavier Weaver leads the Buffaloes with 34 catches, 461 receiving yards and two touchdowns. He had nine catches in the loss to Oregon, when Colorado was missing two-way star Travis Hunter, who is still expected to miss this week’s game with a lacerated liver suffered Sept. 16 against Colorado State.
The Buffaloes lack strength in the trenches. Oregon flexed its muscle on the lines by holding Colorado to 40 rushing yards and sacking Sanders seven times while rushing for 240 yards. USC could be in position to put up similar defensive numbers after tallying eight sacks against Arizona State last week. The Trojans lead the nation with 10.2 tackles for loss per game and rank third with four sacks per game.
Rice reunion
Boulder was Brenden Rice’s “first love.” He hasn’t forgotten it.
“Just seeing how Coach Sanders has transformed Colorado, it makes me happy,” the Colorado transfer said. “But at the same time, that nostalgia, it’s a rival to me now and I can’t wait to go tear up Folsom.”
While his ex-school is rebounding with a new coaching staff, Rice is thriving at USC. Rice, who transferred during former CU coach Karl Dorrell’s tenure, is coming off a career-high seven catches for 133 yards and two touchdowns at Arizona State. The senior has caught a touchdown during five consecutive games stretching back to the Cotton Bowl against Tulane.
When the Trojans plucked him from the transfer portal, Rice was “pretty raw,” Riley said. Only late last year did the coaching staff start to see the receiver build the consistency he’s showing now in his route-running, breeding trust among teammates and coaches.
“He’s a great practice player,” Riley said. “He practices really, really hard all the time and because of that, he just gets better and better. I think he’s confident, I think he’s playing really consistent, fast and he’s been very reliable in terms of being where he’s supposed to be all the time, and with that, our confidence has grown.”
Rise and shine
Saturday will start with USC’s earliest kickoff since 2020, a unique time that required approval from both teams. The short turnaround between a late kickoff in Tempe last Saturday and this week’s early game in Boulder was the only thing that gave Riley pause when considering whether to accept Fox’s “Big Noon” TV slot, which is earlier than the Pac-12’s typical TV window that starts at noon Pacific. Riley wanted to ensure players had enough time to recover between the two road games.
But the Trojans were also coming off a bye before last week’s game at Arizona State, and after sketching out a mock game week schedule that included earlier team meetings during the week and an early return to L.A. after the game, Riley felt, “we didn’t really have anything to complain about with it.”
Players such as defensive back Ceyair Wright set their alarms for early-morning wake-up calls all week in anticipation of the 9 a.m. start. While unusual, an early kick could be the preferred time for the Trojans instead of waiting all day in the hotel for a night game.
“It will be fun,” Riley said, “just to wake up, eat, do a quick meeting and go play.”
latimes.com
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It just hit me that the Utes are getting an extended taste of their own medicine.
Without a healthy Rising, nothing works. USC lost Caleb, so UTAH skated to a win.
Gotta have a great QB who can also run to do damage anymore in CFB. Thank heaven LR has that part wired.
When people ask why did the Pac12 fail? Tonight is a perfect example. Make one of the top teams in the conference travel on a short week hoping for an upset. Every team ending up 6-6 is not good for a confence. RIP Pac12. Go Trojans beat the Buffs!
Utah has a really good defense but they miss Cam Rising for sure. Glad we get them at the Coliseum this year. Hoping to whip them for the two games last season.
I’ve always thought USC would take care of UTAH in the Coliseum even if they have Rising. I still feel that way. It’s time for payback and it’s coming.
Love the ORE ST crowd rushing the field. Glad for the Beavers. Hope they make a good go of it somewhere next season with the Cougs, two programs who deserved better, even if they did live off USC brand money for so many years.
Allen, I agree with your thoughts on USC handling the Utes in the Coliseum this year even if Rising plays. After seeing their performance last night vs ORE STATE, I believe USC will handle Utah and get rid of the bitter taste from losing to them twice last year.
OR St doesn’t have a lot of big time talent, but they sure can play defense. Why can’t USC? It really appears coach Jonathan Smith is a very good judge of talent and then he can coach them up. So far they are handling Utah quite well.
Utah has a bad offense. Really bad without Cam. WSU lit up the Beavs last week.
But, you’re correct on doing more with less. We do less with more.
UTAH sure misses Cam Rising big-time. They may get shut out in the first half having scored zero points with four minutes to go. But the Utes sure are good on D. Some injuries though.
The “Tarmacking” of Lane Kiffin has been getting a lot of pub lately because it’s the 10-year anniversary of the unceremonious dumping of the man who Mike Garrett pegged to continue Pete Carroll’s lineage, and who had to coach USC during the evil-minded, ridiculous and most vicious sanctions since SMU. Here’s part of Clay Helton’s contribution re his experience with Kiffin and Ed O, which I think he handled both humorously and insightfully. Clay Helton, USC asst coach/head coach, 2010-2021 “You could see how brilliant [Kiffin] was as an offensive mind, and he had a reputation as being an unbelievable… Read more »
except I had to skip over the helton and scott wolf quotes–i read it in “less than full” for my sanity….
In just over 30 mins is #10 UTAH at #19 ORE ST (FS1).
The series is tied 12-12-1 after UTAH (which plays so much better at home) and their stout D (only allowed 38 points in four games and 14 in the last two) won last year in SLC 42-16.
Both Trojan fans and non-fans all over the web and in the media are saying that Saturday’s game against CU is USC’s chance to finally make a “statement”. Many of us thought our game against a weak STAN team in the Coliseum was just such a “statement”. That thinking turned out to be bogus when fired-up 35-point dog ASU embarrassed USC by keeping the game relatively close until late into the 4th Q. Is USC ready to pound CU? And if we can’t do that, what does it portend for games in South Bend and Eugene? I figure Berkeley is… Read more »
It’s going to be a crazy day for the offense. Colorado will not slow us down at all. They will also force the issue, so we get 3 turnovers.
USC 59 the buffs 24
I wish a player or two would show up on USC’s D and take over as the leaders of that unit. Am I just missing out? And if so, then who has that been? Shane Lee is a part-time player and a captain. But I’m talking about a guy who we absolutely need to have on the field when the chips are down. We have Caleb for the offense. But who do we have for the defense who is also one of our most talented players? So far, it hasn’t been Mason Cobb, at least not yet. Is it Calen… Read more »
It needs to be Cobb, but he hasn’t played well. Our front has been the best unit. Bear, Jamil, and Byrd have been really good. Maybe they can start to dominate games and be that group of guys on D. I sure wish Grinch would just let those guys play without all the exotic shifts and blitzes.
AMEN!!
They give Height the PT it sure seems he could be. Lee could be but not this game, he is to slow for their passing game.
Wow Chris, you really think they will score 24? I guess based on what we have seen of the USC defense it go that way, but I have a feeling it is going to be less.
I like our chances against Colorado tomorrow, assuming last week was a “rusty bucket” game. I am holding on to the notion that Riley won’t let up against Coach Prime. If the defense isn’t ready, I am projecting an early exit for Alex Grinch, with hopeful chances at a high school next year. Grinch is probably a likable guy, but he hasn’t proven himself to be a winner and nobody will want to hire him if he doesn’t turn it around.
Riley and Grinch are too tied at the hip and loyal to each other for me to expect anything to happen with the DC position until after the season. Both have a huge Caleb Williams-led tiger by the tail. What will they do to keep it on course?
Riley could have a sit down with Grinch, if he hasn’t already, and reign him in on his schemes. I do think they have a very good defensive analyst and help steer Grinch along. If he still pulls wild schemes taking players out of position against Colorado, perhaps a come to Jesus meeting is in order.
I too am going with your great description of “rusty bucket” game. One wrinkle, will Colorado take the ASU plan and throw all the trick plays they have at SC?
Grinch narrative dominates the article on the SC/CO game, not the match up of Caleb and Shedeur. Sure hope the SC D plays a game like the Stanford game, but I doubt it. I think a very high scoring game is in the offing. I hope SC wins it.
So RJJ, did you take the overs?
Yup!
with our defense, i predict SC 63, CU 61. game will take 5 hours to play.
USC 42 Colo 7
I am being only half serious….