USC Special Teams
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USC has a decent offense and a good defense, but their special teams lack oomph. The Trojans were 8th in the Pac-12 in net punt return yardage and 9th in kickoff coverage. Giving away bad field position is something USC does not want to do, despite a strong defense. Teams will be looking for any little advantage to take from the Trojans, especially Chip Kelly.
Returns were a lot better as USC was 4th in the conference kickoff returns (22.5 yards) and 2nd in punt returns (10.9 yards).
Final Analysis
On paper, it seems as the USC should run right through UCLA, but as we saw in last season’s Crosstown Showdown, that was not exactly the case, especially with Darnold in control. USC’s offense is curious. Having Daniels lead this group will be a challenge, but one that the Trojans can work around, still, he is no Darnold. It is also worrying that USC lost their top running back and wide receiver, so a few players need to step up.
It is the defense that will be a thorn in the Bruins’ side. Even though we expect big things from Kelly and his offense, we actually do not know what to expect. Still, just with the upgrade in coaching alone, this one has to go to UCLA at the Rose Bowl.
Prediction
UCLA 33 – USC 20