Fresno State at USC Trojans: TV info, odds and 2 hot offenses, 1 model of efficiency
USC is loaded on offense, from coach Lincoln Riley on down. The Trojans are ranked in a three-way tie for second in the nation in scoring offense and tied for 12th in total offense. Quarterback Caleb Williams has hit 79.6% of his passing attempts and is ranked second in the nation in passing efficiency and third in yards per attempt.
The playmakers run deep, with running backs Travis Dye, Austin Jones and freshman Raleek Brown and wideouts Jordan Addison, Mario Williams and Tahj Washington.
The Trojans’ quarterback has not been as solid when under pass rush pressure, which obviously is not unusual. But from a clean pocket Caleb Williams has hit 87.5% of his throws with five touchdowns and when the blitz doesn’t get home he has hit 80% with three TDs, according to Pro Football Focus.
Through two games, the thing the Trojans also have not done is beat themselves, which makes a shootout a daunting proposition for Fresno State, which went from having a huge opportunity at USC to an exceedingly difficult spot to rebound following its 35-32 loss at Oregon State.
USC has not lost a fumble or thrown an interception. And with new offensive schemes, it has had no issues with a lack of focus or discipline that often results in the 5-yard penalty. It has been penalized only one time for a false start, an illegal formation, shift or motion or a delay of game while running 121 plays from scrimmage in victories over Rice and at Stanford. The Bulldogs were called for six while running 76 plays in their loss to Oregon State, and five were false starts when playing at home.
In its victory over Stanford, USC scored a touchdown on each of its first five series and did not face a third-down play until its sixth, which started with 1:08 remaining in the second quarter and went to halftime.
Perhaps that should not come as a huge surprise, even if USC last season ranked among the most-penalized teams in the nation. Riley’s teams at Oklahoma, when coordinator (2015-16) and coach (2017-21), ranked in the top 10 in yards per play six years in a row and led the nation in 2017, ‘18 and ‘19.
THE GAME
FRESNO STATE at USC
When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
TV: FOX (Noah Eagle, Mark Helfrich)
Find it fast: Channels 1011 on AT&T Uverse, 6, 706, 1026 on Comcast, 26 on DirecTV, 5263 on Dish Network
Radio: Bulldog Sports Network (Paul Loeffler, Pat Hill, Cameron Worrell)
Find it fast: 1400 AM in Visalia/Tulare; 1340 AM in Fresno; 1280 AM in Stockton; 970 AM in Bakersfield; 92.9 FM in Modesto; 96.7 FM in Fresno.
The records: Bulldogs 1-1, USC 2-0
The series: USC leads 4-1
Last meeting: USC won 31-23 at home in 2019
The line: USC minus-12.5
Tickets: 559-278-DOGS or gobulldogs.com
HE’S DUE: TEDFORD AT COLISEUM
A Jeff Tedford-coached team has never beaten USC at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, where he is 0-7. The damage:
Fresno State
2019: L, 31-23
Cal
2012: L, 27-9
2010: L, 48-14
2008: L, 17-3
2006: L, 23-9
2004: L, 23-17
2002: L, 30-28
Two of those Cal teams finished with 10 wins and a third had nine but could not get a win on the road in L.A.
QUICK HITTERS
USC was penalized for pass interference five times in its win at Stanford.
The Trojans are ninth in the Pac-12 in defensive red zone touchdown percentage, allowing opponents into the end zone on six of nine trips inside of their 20-yard line. The USC defense has allowed opponents to rush for 4.5 yards per play in the red zone, though quarterbacks have hit just 46.2% of their passes there.
Stanford racked up 33 first downs against the Trojans, the most the Cardinal have had in a game going back through the 2000 season. It had only had four games with 30 or more in 20-plus seasons. Stanford scored 24 points in the loss, but also had a pass intercepted in the end zone and lost a fumble at the USC 2-yard line.
The Trojans moved up three spots to No. 7 in the Associated Press Top 25 after the victory over Stanford. It is their highest ranking since Sept. 9, 2017 when they were ranked No. 5. USC, coincidentally, lost that week 30-27 at Washington State and dropped to No. 14. USC is up four spots to No. 8 in the AFCA Coaches Poll.
USC is leading the nation with 4.0 takeaways a game with six interceptions and two fumble recoveries. Three of those six interceptions have been returned for touchdowns.
