No. 11 USC takes momentum on road to Minnesota after 2nd half surge against Wisconsin
No. 11 Southern California (3-1, 1-1 Big Ten) at Minnesota (2-3, 0-2), Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET (Big Ten Network).
BetMGM College Football Odds: USC by 8½.
Series record: USC leads 6-1-1.
What’s at stake?
The theme of 11th-ranked USC’s entry into Big Ten play has so far been slow starts and fast finishes. The Trojans trailed 21-10 in the third quarter at Michigan in a 27-24 loss on Sept. 21 and were losing at halftime last week to Wisconsin 21-10 before a four-touchdown surge in the second half on the way to a 38-21 win. The Gophers lost to the 10th-ranked Wolverines last week by the same score as USC. Their fourth-quarter rally was thwarted by a dubious offside penalty on what would’ve been a successful onside kick recovery in Michigan territory with 1:37 left.
Key matchup
USC QB Miller Moss vs. Minnesota pass defense. Moss posted his second 300-yard passing game of the season for the Trojans last week against Wisconsin while connecting with nine different receivers. The Gophers under first-year defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman have played remarkably well on defense, save for a shaky second half against Iowa on Sept. 21 that was dominated by Big Ten rushing leader Kaleb Johnson. The Gophers are tied for the Big Ten lead with eight interceptions, too.
Players to watch
USC: WR Ja’Kobi Lane. The sophomore had 10 catches for 105 yards, both career highs, with two touchdowns last week against Wisconsin. His second scoring grab came on third-and-goal in the third quarter to pull the Trojans within 21-17.
Minnesota: DB/PR Koi Perich. The true freshman from Esko, a small town in northern Minnesota, was the most heralded member of this year’s recruiting class. Perich has been working in as a backup safety on defense and quickly become an impact player on special teams, with two punt returns at Michigan totaling 82 yards.
Facts & figures
While this is their first meeting as Big Ten teams, USC has played before at Huntington Bank Stadium, which opened in 2009. The Trojans won at Minnesota 32-23 on Sept. 18, 2010. … Sixth-year USC kicker Michael Lantz spent the first three seasons of his college career at Minnesota. He went 8 for 11 on field goals and 47 for 49 on extra points in 2019 as the Gophers finished 11-2. … USC is the runaway Big Ten leader in pass attempts per game (43.8) and also leads the FBS in that category. … Trojans RB Woody Marks is sixth in the Big Ten with an average of 112.3 yards from scrimmage per game.
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