The USC Trojans will have a tough challenge on their hands this weekend as the Utah State Aggies come to town on Saturday afternoon.
How to watch Utah State vs. USC: Preview, TV schedule, odds and more
Lane Kiffin and the Trojans prepare for a tough Aggies team this weekend in SoCal.
Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sport
The Aggies may not be a household name, but they've got plenty of talent on both sides of the ball. Led by quarterback Chuckie Keeton, Utah State is 2-1 on the season and hung tough with Utah during the season opener. This is arguably their biggest game of the season, and you can bet coach Matt Wells will have his guys ready to go.
On paper, USC should be able to pull this one out at home. But the Aggies won’t go quietly, and if the Trojans come out as sloppy as they have in two of their three games this season, things could get mighty interesting in SoCal.
The numbers
Rankings and records: Neither the Trojans nor Aggies are ranked, and regardless of the outcome of the game neither team will be ranked come Sunday. The loser would drop to .500 on the season, and neither coach wants that with conference play right around the corner.
Vegas: USC opened up as a nine-point favorite, according to OddsShark. The over/under opened at 50.5 points.
Weather: It should be a beautiful day for football at the Coliseum with temperatures in the mid-70s by kickoff.
Three names to know
Chuckie Keeton: The nation may not know about Keeton, but it should. Utah State’s starting quarterback has thrown for 12 touchdowns and 923 yards this season, and has also carried the ball 28 times for a team-high 187 rushing yards. Keeton is fearless on the football field.
Marqise Lee: Despite not having Matt Barkley throwing him the ball anymore, Lee has hauled in 17 passes for 221 yards and a touchdown through the first three weeks. If he gets a step on the defense, he's gone.
Cody Kessler: Kessler took over for Max Wittek last weekend and shined against Boston College, leading the Trojans to a 35-7 win behind his 237 passing yards and two touchdowns.
Two things at stake
First and foremost, a loss this weekend would probably be the nail in Lane Kiffin’s coffin at USC. Kiffin is already on the hot seat and anything less than an easy victory won’t sit well with the Trojan faithful at this point.
A win on Saturday would likely be the biggest of the season for Utah State, and it would give the Aggies some serious momentum heading into conference play. With one rough Pac-12 loss already on their slate -- a 30-27 heartbreaker against Utah to open up the season -- USU would like nothing more than to get revenge this weekend.
How to witness
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC, ESPN, ESPNU or ESPN2 depending on regional coverage.
Radio: KSPN 710-AM radio in Southern California. KNVU 610-AM radio is the flagship station for Aggies football.
Stream: ESPN3
Further reading
For more on the Trojans, be sure to check on Conquest Chronicles and Pacific Takes. Check out Mountain West Connection for all things Utah State.
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