The game circled on everyone’s calendars since well before the season is finally upon us. On Saturday, No. 20 Utah welcomes No. 7 USC to Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City for a collision that will have lasting implications for the Pac-12 Championship and even possibly the College Football Playoff.

Yes, Utah enters the game with two losses in the first six weeks — a development few in SLC are happy about — but they still have a chance to make it to the Pac-12 title game and then another Rose Bowl. USC’s CFP hopes are still very much alive and well, and this will be its first opportunity to prove itself on a major stage.

The Trojans will do so as an underdog.

According to early point spreads released by Circa Sports, Utah is a four-point favorite at home. The point total is set at 60.5.

Both teams are 4-2 against the spread this season. Utah was favored in both of its losses — by 2.5 in the opener against Florida and by 3.5 last weekend against UCLA.

USC failed to cover the spread against Arizona State (24.5-point spread, 17-point win) and against Oregon State (5.5-point spread, three-point win). The Trojans are still 6-0, though, and they’ll bring one of college football’s top-scoring offenses into the matchup.

USC averages 40.2 a game. Utah averages 40.3 a game.

How Utah’s defense rebounds from giving up 42 in the loss to UCLA will largely tell the story.