USC vs. Utah: Week Three Game Predictions

USC is heading to Salt Lake City, UT tomorrow night to play their last out-of-state game, and the Utah Utes' first matchup of the season.

It's hard to believe that after tomorrow night, the PAC-12 season will be half way over, but I guess that's 2020 for you.

The USC Trojans are playing their second consecutive road game against Utah tomorrow night, and although they are sitting at 2-0, Utah does have some advantages.

Utah has not played a game yet because of COVID-19 outbreaks. This means they have zero film for USC to study. For the third time in a row, the Trojans are heading into a game against an opponent who has yet to play another team. Talk about deja vu.

On the flip side, USC has been able to play every game on their schedule thus far, giving the Utes lots of footage to dissect. This is definitely an advantage for the Utes, however the Trojans have two wins under their belt, and are ready to secure a third.

[WATCH: Breaking down USC and Utah's Strengths and Weaknesses]

USC will win if...

Their defense can stay strong and stop the Utes run game. USC has allowed an average of 5.3 yards per carry in the last two weeks. If the Trojans defense can keep the pass rush strong and stop the ground game, they could set the momentum and keep the Utes away from the Red Zone. 

To add, Kedon Slovis and his offense need to stay consistent throughout all four quarters. Although Slovis has a 71% completion rating, the offense took a bit of a dip in tempo last week. If USC can keep their momentum up through all 60 minutes of play, the Trojans should win this game. 

USC will lose if...

They continue to accumulate penalties as they did in their last two games. This is something head coach Clay Helton wanted to improve on in week two against Arizona, but it was clear (after last week) that there is still room for improvement. 

To add, Utah has plenty of film to study on USC's last few games. If USC does not strengthen their defense and allow less running yards, Utah could get ahead quickly. 

The last notable reason USC could lose this game is if they get in their own heads. Utah head coach Kyle Wittingham is 70-24 at home and has won the last 11 season home openers. USC has lost the last three games against Utah in Salt Lake, so it is time to focus on the present. 

But like Clay Helton always says, "let's go out there and be 1-0 on the week."

SI All Trojans predicts: USC 31 - Utah 24

FanDuel has USC favored to win with the spread set at 2.5. The over/under for the game is 57.5

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