Woody Marks secured the game-winning touchdown against LSU, aiming to replicate that success against Utah State.
Following an exhilarating 27-20 victory over then-No. 13 LSU at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, USC football is set to return to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for its home opener. This win during the Modelo Vegas Kickoff Classic propelled the Trojans up 10 spots in the Associated Press Top 25, landing them at No. 13 after starting the preseason ranked at No. 23.
In addition to the teams’ upward movement in the polls and what is considered one of coach Lincoln Riley’s significant victories, redshirt junior quarterback Miller Moss was named the Big Ten’s Offensive Player of the Week for his impressive performance against LSU.
Moss completed 27 of 36 passes for a total of 378 yards and a touchdown, successfully connecting with 10 different receivers. While he is expected to continue leveraging the depth of USC’s receiving corps, it will be important for him to focus on the players who are performing well as they face Utah State.
The rushing game, in contrast, did not match the effectiveness of Moss’s passing game. Redshirt senior running back Woody Marks contributed two rushing touchdowns, helping clinch the game with a score just eight seconds before time expired. USC’s offense will need to involve the running backs more to achieve a balanced attack against the Aggies.
As Moss was excelling against the LSU defense, the USC defense introduced its new scheme under first-year coordinator D’Anton Lynn. Although the Trojans gave up 304 passing yards and two touchdowns to LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, they managed to restrict the Tigers to only 117 rushing yards.
Defensive players redshirt sophomore safety Kamari Ramsey and senior linebacker Eric Gentry, who together made 16 tackles against LSU, will be pivotal in containing Utah State’s offense. While the run defense was effective against LSU, the secondary faced challenges in tackling receivers. The matchup with the Aggies presents an opportunity for the Trojans to address these issues ahead of a tough game against Michigan in two weeks.
USC boasts a perfect 6-0 record against Utah State, with all encounters taking place at the Coliseum. The last meeting was in 2016, when the Trojans triumphed 45-7 on September 16.
The Aggies opened their season with a 36-14 victory at home over FCS team Robert Morris. Despite the win, Utah State is currently led by interim head coach Nate Dreiling after the dismissal of former head coach Blake Anderson in July due to violations of his employment agreement and university policies.
With USU quarterback Spencer Petras sidelined due to injury, former Utah quarterback Bryson Barnes — who played a role in Utah’s victory over USC last season — may start in Week 2 for the Aggies after replacing Petras during the game against RMU.
The Trojans will kick off their second game of the season in the Coliseum on Saturday at 8 p.m., marking their Big Ten Network debut against the Aggies.