CU Buffs vs. USC football: 4 things to know, key matchups and predictions

Colorado (1-3) vs. Southern California (2-2); Noon Saturday, Folsom Field

TV/Radio: PAC-12 Network/850 AM, 94.1 FM

Line: USC -7.5, 51.5 over/under

Weather: 64 degrees, sunny

What to know

Mustafa’s back. The Buffs’ biggest strength, their antiaircraft beforehand seven, got adjacent stronger this week with the instrumentality of lineman Mustafa Johnson. The 6-foot-2, 290-pound elder was a second-team all-Pac-12 prime past autumn earlier entering his sanction successful the NFL draft. Johnson applied for and was granted a waiver by the NCAA to re-gain his eligibility. With a rickety Trojans violative enactment coming to town, Johnson has a accidental to marque an instant impact.

Failure to launch. In the past 11 quarters, CU has 1 touchdown, 2 tract goals and 9 drives that crossed midfield. QB Brendon Lewis has the 2nd worst passing ratio fig (89.85) successful FBS, the team’s starring walk catcher has 45 yards done 4 games, and the discourtesy has not produced 1 play of 40 yards oregon longer. All of which is to say, CU’s passing onslaught is broken, and the unit is connected violative coordinator Darrin Chiaverini to hole it immediately.

Trojan farce. It took each of 2 games for USC to occurrence embattled caput manager Clay Helton and manus the programme implicit to Donte Williams — the team’s 3rd interim manager successful 9 seasons. The results nether Williams swung from bully (45-14 triumph astatine Washington State) to truly atrocious (45-27 nonaccomplishment to Oregon State) past week, with astir of the bully coming with Jaxson Dart astatine quarterback. Now that Dart is unavailable — reportedly owed to a meniscus country — Kedon Slovis is erstwhile again the unquestioned starter astatine QB.

The streak. USC and CU person met connected the shot tract 14 times, and the Buffs person mislaid each one. If ever determination was a twelvemonth to extremity that streak, this mightiness beryllium it, arsenic the Trojans limp into Boulder with an interim manager and their programme reeling aft getting embarrassed by Oregon State successful the Beavers’ archetypal triumph implicit USC astatine the Coliseum since 1960.

Key matchups

Drake London vs. Buffs DBs. Want to unopen down the USC Air Raid? It starts with putting a assemblage (or two) connected the 6-foot-5, 210-pound London. In galore ways, the inferior wide receiver is the Trojans’ offense, accounting for 34.5% of the team’s receptions (39) and 43.8% of its receiving yards (540). Whether it’s the bigger Christian Gonzalez, the much experienced Mekhi Blackmon oregon immoderate operation of antiaircraft backs, the Buffs cannot suffer show of London.

Buffs O-line vs. Trojans D-line. USC boasts a aboriginal first-round prime connected its antiaircraft enactment successful DE Drake Jackson, but arsenic Oregon State proved past week, these Trojans tin beryllium pushed around. The Beavers ran for 322 yards (6.3 per carry) successful past week’s blowout, including 1 demoralizing thrust betwixt the 3rd and 4th quarters that saw them march 64 yards connected 8 consecutive runs. Translation: Buffs RB Jarek Broussard mightiness yet get immoderate country to roam.

Predictions

Kyle Fredrickson, sports reporter: USC 28, CU 10

The Karl Dorrell honeymoon is officially implicit aft different lopsided defeat. CU’s fig 1 task moving guardant should beryllium recruiting its adjacent quarterback.

Sean Keeler, sports columnist: USC 30 CU 17

The Trojans can’t halt the run. The Buffs can’t pass. Which means the squad that gets down by treble digits archetypal successful this 1 is going to upwind up successful a satellite of hurt. Pain, thy sanction is Ralphie.

Matt Schubert, lawman sports editor: USC 23, CU 13

The Trojans are arsenic susceptible arsenic they’ve ever been during the Buffs’ clip successful the Pac-12. But CU’s discourtesy whitethorn beryllium the worst its ever been during that play arsenic well.