Everything you need to know about Friday night’s marquee matchup between No. 4 USC and No. 11 Utah in the Pac-12 Championship Game in Las Vegas.

It wasn’t an instant classic on par with, say, “Titanic,” but when USC and Utah met in Week 7, they checked off just about every box you can think of.

  • Star power: You want star power? How about the current Heisman frontrunner going toe-to-toe with the reigning Pac-12 offensive player of the year? How about Caleb Williams trying to avoid Clark Phillips III and Cameron Rising trying to work his way around Calen Bullock while trying to avoid an oncoming collision from the nation’s No. 2-leading sackmaster, Tulu Tuipulotu.
  • Offensive fireworks: You want offense? How about 85 points, 1,118 total yards and a combined 59 first downs?
  • Thrilling finish: You want an ending? How about Rising scoring a touchdown and an ensuing 2-point conversion with just 48 seconds left?

Utah’s 43-42 win over the Trojans back in mid-October ranks as the best game of the Pac-12 season and arguably one of the best games in all of college football this season.

So, then, what do these two juggernauts have in store for an encore?

Expect to see plenty of scoring this time around as well, as Utah is missing some key defensive pieces and the Trojans haven’t stopped a unicycle this season, much less the downhill train that is the Utes’ 39-42 point-per-game offense. Has Utah looked shaky at times? Yes. Has Rising played up to his level from last year? Maybe not. Has the Utes’ running game taken off this season as it did last year under Tavion Thomas? Unequivocally no. Has USC found a formula for limiting yardage, instead of just coming up with timely turnovers? Definitely not.

This is a matchup between two aggressive offenses who can go toe-to-toe with anybody and two defenses with plenty of talent that has probably played beneath their potential.

In other words? A perfect recipe for a thriller.

Take a look below for some intriguing news, notes and quotes about the Swan Song in Sin City.

Coaching Contrast

There’s nothing quite like a stark difference in styles, like we have on Friday with Riley and Whittingham squaring off in a thrilling matchup between new school and old school.

In Riley, you’ve got a 38-year-old wunderkind, a 1st-year coach who has served as architect of one of the great 1-season turnarounds in college football history.

It’s incredibly rare for a college football team to have a 7-win improvement in the regular season. That means so many things have to go right that went wrong a year ago, and it’s difficult to unlearn those lessons. Talent apparently does trump all, though, because Williams and a cast of other terrific transfer portal gets have turned the Trojans around on a dime.

On the flip side, you’ve got Whittingham, the longest-tenured head coach in the Pac-12 and among the longest-serving in the country. Whittingham is also one of the most underrated coaches in the college football. After Urban Meyer took the Utes to new heights then bolted for Florida, Whittingham — who joined the Utes’ staff in 1994 — has turned Utah into one of the boldest, toughest, strongest programs in the game.

Quotable, Pt. 1

“Some advantages are you know each other and how they’re going to play you, most likely. The things that worked for them, they’ll probably practice a bit more. … The disadvantage is you’ve played them already, and they’ve seen things you’re good at, and they’re gonna practice those, too.” — USC quarterback Caleb Williams.

3 Big Questions for USC

1. Can Caleb Williams continue his remarkable run?

On one of the best sustained stretches for a Pac-12 passer in ages, Caleb Williams is using his brain, his arm and his legs to torture opponents.

If any of those things were different, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.

Let’s start with the brain: Perhaps the most important single statistic of Williams’ sizzling sophomore campaign is his total touchdown to turnover ratio. He hasn’t just been steadfast with the ball in his hands, he’s been almost completely unyielding. Williams has thrown just 3 interceptions all season, and he went the first 9 games — a span that included more than 300 passes — with just 1 pick.

Now, the arm: Compare those 3 picks to his 34 passing touchdowns, and now you’re talking legend territory. After a somewhat slow start in terms of touchdown — he had just 9 passing scores in his first 4 games, with Lincoln Riley taking his foot off the gas pedal at times. From Weeks 7-10, tough, he had 17 passing touchdowns. That’s more like it. Last week, though, he threw for just 1 touchdown in a 38-27 win over Notre Dame. Why?

Onto the legs: … Because he ran for 3 touchdowns against the Fighting Irish, giving him 10 rushing touchdowns this year. That, combined with a USC-best 351 rushing yards by a quarterback, gives the Trojans the best dual-threat quarterback they’ve ever had.

Now the Heisman Trophy is his to lose, even if he says he’s not focused on that.

“It hasn’t changed anything for me,” Williams said of the increased attention the last few weeks. “I’m sticking to my same routine. I’m still trying to lead these guys; we’ve got bigger goals in mind here at the end of the season.”

2. Can Utah cover Jordan Addison?

USC has so many weapons that the reigning Biletnikoff Award winner hasn’t made nearly the impact this season compared to last year’s massive numbers with Kenny Pickett at Pitt.

But when he’s been a featured part of the passing game, he’s delivered.

When healthy, Addison has 4 games with 7-plus receptions and 100-plus yards and 4 games with 6 or fewer receptions and 69 or fewer yards.

He was also hobbled in the loss to Utah, an injury that cost him 2 games and much of a 3rd.

Even though the Utes boast plenty of defensive backfield talent, including perhaps the best cover cornerback in college football in Clark Phillips III, Addison still produced. USC has too much receiver talent to account for everyone.

3. How will the Trojans’ offensive line hold up?

The Utes had 4 sacks the last time the two teams met, with takedowns from all 3 levels, including a sack by the stud corner Phillips.

That was USC’s worst performance of the season up front;

After shoring things up with zero sacks allowed in Weeks 9 and 10 against Arizona and Cal, the Trojans have allowed 3, 2 and 2 sacks the last few weeks as Williams has looked like a ballerina with the ball.

USC has has some general bumps and bruises up front but is generally healthy for the time being, though stalwart guard Andrew Vorhees missed the end of the win over Notre Dame last week. With assorted starters including Courtland Ford, Bobby Haskins and Justin Dedich needing spells, redshirt freshman Mason Murphy has gotten some valuable time at multiple positions.

Utah, meanwhile, is missing a key piece in Van Fillinger, who was lost for the season.

Quotable, Pt. 2

“Well, pretty much everyone has them winning already and going to the playoffs and Caleb winning the Heisman,” he said. “That’s already been talked about. We love that role. We love the chip on our shoulder, the nobody giving us a chance. We seem to thrive in that capacity and in that world. We’ll see.” — Utah HC Kyle Whittingham

Both recent, ancient history favors the Utes

There are ledes, and then there are ledes.

From the Nov. 20, 1915, edition of the Salt Lake Tribune:

“We are told that Leonidas fired a band of 300 Spartans to such a pitch of enthusiasm that they hurled themselves into the mountain pass at Thermoplyae and held back a million Persians, giving their lives to save ancient Greece.

Three times as many students of the University of Utah sprang to their feet yesterday following a fiery address by Mathoniah Thomas and declared with all the fervor of the convert that no difficulties, no matter how formidable, could deprive the Crimson of victory against the University of Southern California today. The eleven tanned boys who will be thrown into the breach merely ground their teeth and said nothing.”

Well, then.

It seems Mr. Thomas’ profound words had an impact on the tanned eleven: the Utes won their first ever matchup with the Trojans that day, 20-13, and they won the next year, as well. They’re also on a current 2-game winning streak and have won 5-of-9 in the series.

3 Big questions for Utah

1. How healthy is Cameron Rising?

Just when we left Cameron Rising for dead, he lived up to his surname, emerging like a Phoenix with one of the most ruthless bounce-back performances by a Pac-12 quarterback in years.

After throwing 3 interceptions in a 20-17 loss at No. 12 Oregon in Week 12, Rising bullied the Buffaloes in a 17-19, 234-yard, 3-touchdown showing in a 63-21 win at Colorado.

Obviously the gulf between Oregon and Colorado is bigger than the actual distance between Oregon and Colorado, but it was nice to see Rising regain the momentum he started to develop early in the season.

The question is, can he keep it up against USC? In their first meeting, Rising went 30-of-44 passing for 415 yards and 2 touchdowns while rushing 11 times for 60 yards and scoring twice.

Rising was banged up in that game, though, and hasn’t looked totally right since that game.

He’s basically played in a bulky knee brace or sleeve since that game, and while both he and Kyle Whittingham have been cagey about his status, it’s pretty obvious Rising is not moving completely unencumbered.

2. How can USC stop Dalton Kincaid?

It’s pretty crazy to think that even if the Trojans held Kincaid to half his production from their first matchup, that would still mean 8 catches for 117 yards. That 16-for-234 showing was one of the great individual games by a tight end in Pac-12 history. It was very clear that USC couldn’t cover him, and it was equally obvious that the Utes did not have any other targets that day.

“I don’t want to make it sound like he wasn’t good at the onset, but we’ve just been featuring him more and more, and he’s made more and more plays,” Whittingham said. “You saw the catch he made that he got dinged up on in the Colorado game. That was spectacular. It’s just a matter of continuing to maximize his skillset and understanding how incredible that skillset is. I still can’t believe he’s not on the (Biletnikoff Award Semifinalist list) which is crazy. He’s third or fourth in the league right now in receptions per game, and that’s missing a game or two…But he’s a terrific talent, he is a guy that every week we need to target him a bunch of times.”

3. Which running back steps up?

When the teams first met, Rising was the Utes’ top rusher with those 60 yards on 11 carries. Utah’s best running back performance came from Micah Bernard, who managed just 37 yards on 11 carries. Ja’Quinden Jackson had just 1 carry for zero yards that day.

Flash forward to last Saturday against Colorado, and Jackson was clearly the Utes’ top back. Jackson had 117 yards on 10 carries with 3 touchdowns including a 66-yard scamper. Bernard had 91 yards and a score on 12 carries and Jaylon Glover added 62 yards and a score.

Jackson, a converted quarterback, started making his presence known on Oct. 27, when he had double-digit carries for the first time this year with 43 yards on 10 carries. On Nov. 5 against Arizona, Jackson had 97 yards on 13 carries.

Bernard, the Utes’ second-leading rusher among running backs, and Glover could also see plenty of carries if Whittingham rides the hot hand.

We know for certain who won’t be making an impact: leading rusher Tavion Thomas, who announced that he would not play any more this season after suffering an ankle injury in the loss to Oregon.

“(Jackson) took a step forward, there’s no doubt about that,” Whittingham said. “He had a really good showing, over 100 yards. Protected the football, had really good ball security. We grade ball security; it’s not just putting the ball on the ground. We flag ball security issues when the ball comes away and it’s in a vulnerable position, even if it doesn’t come out. His ball security grade went way up and is where it needs to be. Micah Bernard showed you some good things. He had a chance to get out and run. You saw him on the opponent sideline where he really hit the juice and made a nice run. Jaylon Glover came in and gave us some quality carries as well. But to answer your question, JJ has really started to settle in and be productive.”

Bumps and Bruises

This game will be notable for not just who decides the game on the field, but who will miss it on both sidelines.

Utah suffered one of the biggest blows in the country this season with the early season-ending knee injury for tight end Brant Kuithe. Yes, Kuithe’s absence helped Kincaid grow into one of the top targets in in college football, but the 1-2 punch of Kuithe and Kincaid up the seams was set to be one of the most dominant in conference history. Rarely does a team get its hand on one all-American-level tight end. Two, at the same time? Doesn’t happen often.

Rare, too, is it for a team to have a running back waiting in the wings like Austin Jones. The Stanford transfer has been USC’s ground-game go-to since the loss of star back and emotional leader Travis Dye in a mid-November win over Colorado. Dye had been the Trojans’ every-down back, despite the presence of Jones, who was content to bide his time until he got the rock. And get the rock he has, rushing for 347 yards in his last 3 games on 57 carries. The first time these teams met, Jones had just 4 carries for 16 yards. I’m taking the over this time around.

Quotable, Pt. 3

“This is not a revenge game. That’s not that’s not what this is. We played a really good football game, as did Utah up in Salt Lake. It was an elite college football game that came down to one play here or there. They got us that time, but this is not about that game.” – USC coach Lincoln Riley

Head-to-Head’s Up: Matchups That Will Determine The Game

1. USC RB Austin Jones vs. Utah LBs Mohamoud Diabate, Karene Reid, Hayden Furey, Lander Barton

The entire Utah defense will be tasked with slowing down Jones, who has been on an absolute tear since taking over for Travis Dye. Jones had 74 yards on 11 carries after taking over the bulk of the backfield work when Dye was lost against the Buffaloes in Week 11. He then exploded for 120 yards and 2 scores on 21 carries, while adding 67 receiving yards on 4 receptions, in the Trojans’ 48-45 win at the Rose Bowl. Last week, Jones was a beast against Notre Dame, gaining 154 yards on 25 carries.

Utah’s linebacker corps will have its hands full with Jones and USC backup running back, freshman Raleek Brown.

Does Utah have the D to shut down the running game this time around? The Utes have sorely missed Devin Lloyd, and Diabate hasn’t quite made the impact the Utes were expecting.

2. USC QB Caleb Williams vs. Utah CB Clark Phillips III

Williams can’t get too cute on Friday, not with one of the best cornerbacks in the country lined up against him. Phillips, a finalist for the the Jim Thorpe Award, honoring the best defensive back in the country.

We’ve already gone over what Williams has done and can do. What about CPIII?

  • 23 tackles (2.0 TFL, 1.0 sack)
  • Tied for the national lead with six interceptions
  • Two pick-sixes (second-most in the country)
  • Eleven passes defended, tied for first in the league
  • Three interceptions including a pick-six against Oregon State, tied for the most interceptions in a game
  • Season-high four tackles in Utah’s win over USC, with his first-career sack and two pass breakups
  • Started in every single game he has appeared in (30)

Need we say more?

3. Utah QB Cameron Rising vs. USC DB Mekhi Blackmon

As good as Phillips has been this season — and he’s been world-class — Pro Football Focus deems USC’s Blackmon, a former Colorado star, as the highest-rated Pac-12 cornerback this season and 4th among all FBS players.

Blackmon has scored a stellar 90.1 coverage grade, outdistancing Phillips’ 86.9

Much like Williams has to be on the lookout, so too does Cameron Rising, especially against one of the most opportunistic defenses in the game.

4. Utah DEs Gabe Reid, Jonah Ellisss vs. USC OL Courtland Ford, Mason Murphy, Bobby Haskins

With leading sack-man Van Fillinger out for the year, the pressure will fall on Gabe Reid and Jonah Elliss to pressure Caleb Williams.

Williams is elusive but has not avoided sacks well, something Utah will use to its advantage, even if they’ll miss Fillinger, whose 5 sacks led the team. Reid (3.5 sacks) and Elliss (3.0) will need to get to Williams at least a few times to slow him down.

5. USC HC Lincoln Riley vs. Utah HC Kyle Whittingham

These two are truly two of the best coaches in the game. Last time they met, it came down to 1 possession, 1 point, and a 2-point conversion that goes down in history. What do these guys have in store this time around?

The Verdict

I hate this. I hate my nature. I hate being cynical. I hate thinking the worst and expecting it.

I want to be fun and hopeful and optimistic and planning to cover USC in the College Football Playoff, celebrating a decade’s worth of progress made in one season by the Trojans, ending a half-decade of Pac-12 playoff futility.

But I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again and I’ll say it forever: This is the Pac-12 and we don’t deserve nice things.

You do realize we’re all set up for absolute misery, at least any of us outside of Salt Lake City? That’s the most likely scenario, because it’s the most painful.

What’s worse is my line of thinking isn’t all that crazy. I wish USC had beaten the Utes the first time around so there could be at least a cherry on top of the cynical sundae, but Whittingham outfoxed Riley, Rising outplayed Williams at the end and the Utes toyed with the Trojans’ offensive line.

Things haven’t changed so drastically for that outcome to be so outlandish once again. The Utes are still really good, and so is USC. The Trojans have proven it the last 2 weeks. They’ve won at the Rose Bowl against a top-20 UCLA squad and then went ahead and beat a top-20 Notre Dame lineup. Williams basically has the Heisman Trophy already on ice and positive momentum has come to Heritage Hall in a way that hasn’t been seen since the days of Pete Carroll.

So, of course, they’ll lose. Why wouldn’t they? We don’t get nice things.
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Utah 37 | USC 35