No. 5 USC at Arizona State: Can the Sun Devils avoid a massive beatdown?
What’s at stake, the key matchup to watch, and what would need to happen for ASU to win Saturday night
Mario Williams stiff-arms ASU DB Jordan Clark during the first half of last year’s game at the Coliseum. The Trojans and the injury-plagued Sun Devils wind down their rivalry Saturday night in Tempe. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
No. 5 USC (3-0, 1-0 Pac-12) at ARIZONA STATE (1-2 overall, 0-0)
7:30 p.m. PT Saturday; Mountain America Stadium, Tempe, Ariz., FOX (11)/790 AM; Line: USC by 35 points
Luca Evans (OC Register) — Notable injuries:
Arizona State: PROBABLE: QB Drew Pyne (undisclosed); QUESTIONABLE: OL Cade Briggs (undisclosed); DOUBTFUL: QB Trenton Bourguet (leg); DE Clayton Smith (undisclosed); OUT: QB Jaden Rashada (undisclosed);
USC: OUT: DL Solomon Tuliaupupu (lower leg, season-ending surgery); OL Gino Quinones (lower leg, out for season)
What’s at stake? This matchup is so blatantly lopsided on paper, so truly skewed in light of ASU’s injury-ravaged depth chart and lesser talent, that new Sun Devils head coach and ASU grad Kenny Dillingham maniacally barked out an all-time vein-popper of a rant on Wednesday:
“If you don’t expect to win every game, you have a problem. I don’t care if I’m playing Michael Jordan in basketball. I’m not playing to lose!” a hoarse-voiced Dillingham strained to proclaim, in a media scrum video from 12News’ Cameron Cox. “Otherwise, why would I play? I’m not just going to play ’cause it’s fun. What’s fun is competing to win. You’re playing to win. That’s it. You should expect to win.”
It was epic. Yet for all of the former Oregon offensive coordinator’s passion, it’s ridiculous to assume that third-string Pyne (if healthy) or fourth-string Jacob Conover can outduel the best quarterback in college football who is shooting for his second consecutive Heisman.
What’s truly at stake here, for USC, is a final stamp on depth-chart battles, in another game that could see Caleb Williams watching the second half from the sidelines.
Keep an eye on the success of the Trojans’ inside linebacker and pass rush combinations; this Saturday will serve as a proving ground for who will earn snaps when USC travels to Boulder to face sudden Heisman candidate Shedeur Sanders and Colorado next weekend.
Dillingham told reporters Monday that he would physically show his team the point spread on Saturday. It’s that tilted toward USC here. If ASU were healthy, this would be a little closer – but the Sun Devils are down multiple quarterbacks, offensive linemen, and skill players galore as an injury bug has swept through Tempe.
Matchup to watch: The battle in the trenches. ASU’s offensive line is hurting; no less than five offensive linemen were out at one point before last week’s shutout loss to Fresno State, according to 12News. Briggs is questionable, and the status of starting tackle Isaia Glass seems up in the air.
USC’s Solomon Byrd, Bear Alexander (90) and Jamil Muhammad have all been major difference-makers on the much-improved Trojan defensive line – they seem primed for a monster game hunting down Pyne or Conover.
USC wins if: Former BYU QB and longtime backup Conover doesn’t magically turn into the second coming of Brock Purdy.
Prediction: USC 56, Arizona State 10
Expect USC’s ground game to run buck-wild, and anything less than two to three takeaways would also be a surprise.
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At the end of Week 4 we have Troy5543 in first place with 20,500 and Bus83, Chris, and IllinoisUSC tied for 2nd with 20,000
I want to say good bye to RialtoTrojan and thanks for playing along!
Click on this link to see the Week 4 Detailed Contest Accounting
https://trojandailyblog.com/tdb-football-contest-week-4-2023/
I personally love this video ( About media over-hyping teams ) >>>>> Nick Saban tells media they’re feeding his team “rat poison” Part of what Saban says is “You’re not gonna beat everybody 66-3” ……….. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRNqDbd2rdE
And LA Media ……Tone down the USC Hype ……NOW !!!!!!!!!!
Can’t wait to read Luca Evans’ column!
Crumby wins are better than fantastic losses, but not fun. Glad this one is behind us. See you all later. Hope you all have a great rest of your weekend.
If they keep playing like this, we’ll be lucky to go 9-3. We were 34 point favorites. Just let that sink in for a moment.
They will play well next week and rest of season … count on it
I hope you are right. If the offense doesn’t play close to perfect, Alex Grinch leaves the team vulnerable
Does LR have any Vince Lombardi in him ? …..I HOPE SO …..REALLY !
LR just whispered something to the ASU Head Coach …….Something like maybe ” You played as good as we did” ?
Not pretty but you take the W. Good thing is we have a lot of things to work on next week at practice.
Maybe we’ll get up for a Big Noon Kickoff game. This team and coaches need something bad. I just don’t quite know what it is.
they needed this .. big improvement coming
CW went bonkers after his poor performance at Oregon St last year
10 am kickoff. Just like Pop Warner youth football games. Sheesh!
I loved Pop Warner. Frankly, the best head football coach I ever had was my Pee Wee Pop Warner coach. We won the whole Southern California championship.
He was an SC grad who played a little for the Trojans after an amazing Newport Harbor prep career, who was also a very successful Newport Beach architect. He had a way with kids that just couldn’t be taught.
Well good night Irene
Better come out ready to play next week
They will … count on it
Should they now rate Oregon over USC ?
Great question. I don’t know. Don’t think they will though. USC played away. ORE in Eugene. That’s my guess at least.
Just win … good times when u are very disappointed with 14 pt win in Tempe
It’s not the points that bother me. It’s the impression the team gave me of how much they need to improve to compete at a higher level. Lots of talent. Lots of overrated talent too. Same with coaching.
Way too over confident .. very slow start
some same bad habits on D CW missed some throws O looked a tad predictable
But saw some things
pressure on QB
Rice clutch
Run game tough ( please run on 2nd and 3 just once )
kicker was clutch
CW is tough to beat and always will be
USC forgot teams come to play USC differently than they do some others. Coaches did a poor job IMO, but USC has so much more talent, ASU couldn’t quite overcome that despite a better effort. Too bad they can’t go to a bowl. They deserved a bowl game future tonight.
I think tOSU will bump USC back to #6
If we give up 1 more F ing 4th down play
4TH and 17 ..Can not give this up !
Make 3 good plays in a row D !
Usual call by the refs two guys caught the ball one acted like he was in the right.
I keep trying to understand why Riley keeps taking the ball out of Lloyds hands. He only has 151 yds so far rushing.
Lloyd is a big-time stud. Love how he runs.
This is one of those weird nights.
Gotta admit. It’s a super entertaining game. Laughable, but filled with wild plays, mistakes and horrible coaching and tackling. Kind of like a circus.
Every person there is getting their money’s worth to the max! Gonna be sad for the Sun Devils though, because they’re gonna be on the losing end of a valiant effort. I admire that team tonight.
They might just rule that a catch and no fumble
Wait for the replay.
Good thing there is no mike near ASU coach there .
I have seen better defenses all day today with lesser athletes than what USC has. It isn’t the personel, it is the DC, plain and simple.
Good news … can pressure the qb some
My all-time “shoulda wrapped up ” (but did not ) play I ever saw was the play in Saints vs Vikings where Saints DB whiffs on the tackle and Stefon Diggs runs into end zone and wins the game .
The Minneapolis Miracle!
1 stop !
That was a dart
This has been inexcusable. Coming in unprepared for any team is not USC
TD Tahj!
There’s Tahj
At least Brendan Rice looks good. Hope he’s not hurt.
Tarmac Grinch. There’s no excuse for this sloppy playing. ASU couldn’t put a point up against Fresno state. This is Helton Tackling and nothing defense.
Riley isn’t going to do that to him.
They should have kept the players practicing last week during the bye week.
“WRAP UP” ….. “WRAP UP” ….. “WRAP UP” ….. My coaches SCREAMED IT all thru practices .
Senior Gentry tries to take the legs out and it does not work so Senior Max Williams tries to do the same thing and it does not work. I do not blame Grinch for two Seniors playing soft.
I do. Grinch is the idiot who put them on the field.
Prepare to drop seriously in those sacred polls. This team needs to learn a lot.
My guess is 10th.
Maybe if they do they will learn you have to earn it on the field.
Win game 1st then get better
Finally felt good after our last score. Not so much now.
Just like last year always the quick scores
Fire Grinch!!!!! This defense Sucks!!!
My high school coaches would have benched me for the style Max Williams used in that tackle attempt …..SMH !!!!!
#4 got humiliated by #4.
Pathetic tackling. SC hasn’t been able to wrap up for over a decade.
They call it Pretend Tackling Disease. Many different symptoms, all of which are on display tonight. Apparently, it’s incurable.
Thanks no ability to tackle coach. Since when is diving on your belly in front of the runner a tackle move????
Not the first tackle I have seen Max Williams miss.
What the hell was that!
Jesus Christ … Grinch special again
Grinch isn’t it, but he didn’t get run over.
No but his D gave up another quick TD to put us in position to lose this mess
And horrible coverage and no ability to stop 4th down plays
tackling
Sorry Chris, I hit the wrong button. Can somebody hit the up button to cancel my mistake.
Are you kidding me.
Almost count on it … can never put a game away
well come on O
great tackling by USC again.
The D read that 3rd down play …..Nice.
Carp ref why don’t you call both sides equal?
Cheap call
Caleb’s stats look better than he’s played.
He’s still an amazing superstar. He can suddenly beat you at any moment.
Agree. Wouldn’t trade him for any other QB in CF.
underrated catch by Rice
Rice is consistently our best receiver.
No Tjah tonight
Maybe tonights performance is something they need to get out of their system.
We ‘re going to beat the spread …not. Maybe next season I’ll bet over and under
Let’s just win the game