USC vs. UCLA: Week Six Game Predictions
And just like that, the Pac-12 regular season is coming to an end. No. 15 USC is headed to the historic Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA to take on the UCLA Bruins for their final matchup of their short six week season.
USC (4-0) is coming off of a strong win against Washington State last Sunday where they dominated a majority of the game and came out with a 38-13 victory.
UCLA (3-2) also heads into this weekend with a fresh win under their belt. The Bruins defeated the Arizona State Sun Devils 25-18 last Saturday.
Some questioned USC's strength in the beginning of their season, but last week's game against Washington State showcased their talent and was proof that the Trojans are here to win. USC is favored to win over UCLA tomorrow and will find themselves heading to the PAC-12 Championship next weekend if they pull the W.
USC will win if...
Kedon Slovis and his offense show up on Saturday. Slovis had an incredible game on Sunday against WSU with a completion rate of 78% for 287 yards. He threw five touchdown passes, four of which were caught by wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown in the first quarter alone. St. Brown is the first player in Pac-12 history to have four touchdown receptions in a single quarter.
If USC's offense can continue the passing momentum from last week, they will be a tough match for the UCLA defense who have a stronger pass rush and run defense.
USC will lose if...
UCLA quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson has the best game of his season. He missed two weeks due to COVID-19 contact tracing protocols, but has otherwise had a strong run in 2020. He has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 13 of his last 14 games, including his last five straight.
In the 2019 USC vs. UCLA game, Thompson-Robinson threw for 367 yards and three touchdowns but was overshadowed by Kedon Slovis' record performance in the 52-35 victory over the Bruins.
If Trojans' defense doesn't continue their perseverance and keep pressure on Thompson-Robinson, he could give the Trojans a run for their money.
SI AllTrojans predicts: USC 35 | UCLA 27
This historic matchup will be played for the honorary Victory Bell which has been awarded to the winning team since 1942, after an agreement was signed by both student body presidents to allow the victorious team possession for the following year.
The game will be aired on ABC at 7:30EST/4:30 PST on Saturday, December 12th.
FanDuel has the spread set at USC -2.5. The over/under is set at 61.5.
[READ: USC vs. UCLA at First Glance]
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