Ahead of USC’s crucial crosstown matchup with UCLA, The Athletic’s Antonio Morales and Bruce Feldman reached out to a number of Pac-12 assistants to get their unfiltered (and anonymous) thoughts on the two sides.

USC is a win away from a Pac-12 title game after winning only four contests last season. UCLA is looking for redemption after last week’s upset loss at home to Arizona. The Bruins can still get to the Pac-12 Championship Game, too, but they’d need a bit more help.

Both teams are top-20 ball clubs. Both feature top-11 scoring offenses in college football this season — with USC sitting third at 42.4 points a game and UCLA 11th at 39.5. Both feature dynamic and electric quarterbacks. And USC’s leading man seems to be the difference-maker here.

“UCLA’s got a better roster right now,” a Pac-12 personnel director told Morales and Feldman. “I would say USC has more top-end talent. But you know that top-end talent can win you some games like it has for them and has shown up a couple times this year.”

Williams could be the best player on the field Saturday night at the Rose Bowl. Of course, he could be the best player on any field any given night; that’s how immense the potential is.

This season, Williams has 31 passing touchdowns against only two interceptions. He’s sixth nationally in QBR and third in expected points added.

From Morales and Feldman:

“If you take No. 13  off the field, they’d probably be a 6-4 kind of team,” an assistant coach who faced USC earlier this season, “not 9-1 and in the hunt.”

“The most impressive thing about him on film is the confidence and poise he plays with,” the defensive analyst who faced the Trojans said. “The most impressive thing about him when you actually see him in person, it’s his body type. He’s tough to get down. He’s so talented with his legs. He can make all throws, can zip in that soft spot in Cover 2. It’s elite.”

USC and UCLA face off at 5 p.m. PT on FOX this Saturday.