Still stinging from an upset loss last week, the No. 19 USC Trojans head into the desert to face the Arizona State Sun Devils. Kickoff is scheduled for 10:30 p.m. ET, with television coverage on ESPN.
How to watch USC vs. Arizona State on TV or online, plus 3 things to know
Two disappointing Pac-12 South contenders face off in a de facto elimination game.
Both USC and Arizona State have struggled through upset losses in the first three weeks of the season. The Trojans lost by 10 at home against Stanford last week, and plummeted down the rankings as a result. it was the third loss to an unranked opponent in Steve Sarkisian’s brief tenure, and Trojan fans are asking if he’s worthy of the job.
Arizona State, a trendy preseason pick in the Pac-12 South, disappeared from view after a blowout loss to Texas A&M in the season opener. A shaky performance against Cal Poly the following week confirmed doubts about the Sun Devils, particularly Todd Graham’s offense. Graham has dismissed the criticism.
How to watch, stream and listen
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Online streaming: WatchESPN
Spread: USC -5.5
Make friends: Get to SB Nation’s team blog chats for this game at Conquest Chronicles (for Southern Cal fans) and House of Sparky (for Arizona State fans).
Three big things to know
1. This won't decide the Pac-12 South. Yes, Arizona State and USC were among the quartet of favorites in arguably the most difficult division in football. And yes, USC has already dropped one conference game and cannot afford an 0-2 start. But with these two teams, Arizona and UCLA all still in play, a two-loss team could still win the division and get a Pac-12 Championship game opportunity against the less-stacked north.
2. It will almost certainly eliminate at least one team from the Playoff, though. There simply isn’t enough cache in the Pac-12 for a two-loss team to make it into the four-team playoff, particularly with both Arizona State and USC suffering a bad early loss. Saturday’s loser would need a ridiculous set of circumstances to overcome its first two losses, a scenario that seemed impossible for both at the end of August.
3. Sark might want to take the bus. It was two years ago this week that Steve Sarkisian’s predecessor, Lane Kiffin, was fired on a Los Angeles tarmac after a 21-point loss to Arizona State. Sark’s seat might not be as hot as Kiffin’s was -- USC fans aren’t chanting “Fire Sarkisian” yet -- but it’s heating up.
See More:
