USC vs UCLA: Game Preview, Live Stream, TV Schedule
UCLA visits crosstown rival USC Friday in a showdown that will decide the Pac-12 South champion.
According to USA Today Sports, the host Trojans (7-4, 5-3) are 31/2 point favorites over the No. 22 ranked Bruins (8-3, 5-3), with USC leading the all-time series 46-31-7.
USC comes to battle almost assuredly looking to take advantage of UCLA's run porous defense. Behind the gifted backfield tandem of Justin Davis and Ronald Jones, the Trojans have averaged nearly 170 rushing yards per outing over their last seven games.
Supplementing Davis and Jones on offense, senior Jordan Payton has proved more than capable, putting him en route to becoming the school's all-time leading receiver. Under interim coach Clay Helton, the Trojans seem to be hungry, given the team is unranked in the rivalry for the first time since 2010 and only the second time in the past 14 seasons.
UCLA owns a three-game winning-streak in the heated rivalry, but overall has won just four of the last 16 matchups. The Bruins 35-14 victory in 2013 represented their first in the series at their former home arena since 1997.
Coach Jim Mora's offense revolves around hotshot freshmen quarterback Josh Rosen, who has thrown for at least 300 yards in three of his last five games, leading the Bruins to a 4-1 mark.
Over that same time, Rosen has also thrown for seven touchdowns, and after throwing seven interceptions in the first six games, he has none over his last five. Overall, he has thrown for 3,124 yards and 17 touchdowns, with a 60 percent completion rate for the year.
The victor in the rivalry match will face Stanford in next week's conference title game.
Kickoff at the Coliseum is slated for 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC. Watch the game via live stream here.
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