The USC Trojans and Utah Utes clash Friday in the college football Pac-12 Championship from Allegiant Stadium. Utah enters this one at 9-3 overall. The Utes are coming off a blowout win over Colorado. As for USC, they’re sitting at 11-1 this year. The Trojans beat Notre Dame in their last game.
Utah lost to Florida in their opener, then beat Southern Utah, San Diego State, Arizona State and Oregon State before another loss to UCLA. The Utes took out USC, Washington State, Arizona and Stanford, lost to Oregon and beat Colorado.
In the Colorado matchup on Saturday, the Utes jumped out to a 42-0 lead by halftime. Utah cruised in the second half on the way to a 63-21 blowout win. QB Cameron Rising posted 234 yards with three scores, and Ja’Quinden Jackson had 117 rush yards with three TDs.
Over on the USC side, the 43-42 loss to Utah is their only blemish so far this year. Otherwise it’s been wins over Rice, Stanford, Fresno State, Oregon State, Arizona State, Washington State, Arizona, California, Colorado, UCLA and Notre Dame.
Matched up against Notre Dame on Saturday, the Trojans were up 24-14 by the fourth quarter. USC was able to hang on and post the 38-27 win. Caleb Williams managed 232 pass yards and a score. Austin Jones led the rush with 154 yards off 25 carries.
The Utes are 5-2 ATS in their last seven after an ATS win and 20-8 ATS in their last 28 after a straight-up win. Utah is 0-4 ATS versus a team with a winning record.
Meanwhile the Trojans are 4-0 ATS versus a team with a winning record and 5-2 ATS in their last seven overall. USC is 2-8 ATS in the last 10 in December.
PICK: I’m going to try USC in this one. This is perhaps the most fitting matchup for a Pac-12 Championship, and it took an improbable weekend of outcomes to get here. USC will want to avenge their October 15 loss, a high-flying 43-42 outcome. The Trojans posted 556 total yards (175 rushing), 28 first downs, zero turnovers and 12 penalties in that one. As for the Utes, they collected 562 yards (138 rushing), 31 first downs and a 3-of-3 rate on fourth-down tries. This matchup should be another close one, and I like USC to get some revenge on a cover. Should be a great game regardless.