Football | September 24, 2017
*After a 2-year hiatus because of the Pac-12 scheduling rotation, No. 5 USC and No. 16 Washington State resume their series, this time under the lights on a Friday night in Pullman on ESPN.
*It is a rare Friday game for the Trojans.
*It is Troy's first visit to Pullman since 2014 (USC has only lost 3 times there) and it's the first time that both teams come into the contest unbeaten with at least 4 games under their belts.
*With both squads at 4-0, USC is off to its best start of a season since 2010 (a win over WSU would propel the Trojans to their best start since 2006) and this is the Cougs' hottest start since 2001.
*USC is riding a 13-game winning streak, its longest since 2003-04 (Troy also has won its last 12 games against Power 5 foes).
*USC has won 85% of its games against the Cougars. An AP Top 5 Trojan team has never lost to WSU, while USC is 6-1 all-time versus ranked WSU squads (the loss was in overtime).
*USC is coming off a win at California last week, its first road outing of 2017, in which the Trojan defense collected 6 takeaways and the offense pulled away in the fourth quarter but had its streak snapped of 13 straight games with 400-plus total yards. Head coach Clay Helton's offense features Heisman Trophy candidate QB Sam Darnold, WR Deontay Burnett (in the national Top 15 in receptions, receiving yards and receiving TDs) and TBs Ronald Jones II (a leg injury sidelined him at Cal) and emerging freshman Stephen Carr. Headlining the Trojan defense are ILB Cameron Smith, OLBs Uchenna Nwosu and Porter Gustin (he also sat out the Cal contest with an injury), disruptive DLs Rasheem Green and Christian Rector, S Chris Hawkins and CBs Iman Marshall and Jack Jones (he had 2 picks at Cal). True freshman walk-on PK Chase McGrath nailed 3 field goals at Cal after his dramatic kicks the previous week in the Texas overtime victory.
*Washington State will be playing its fifth straight home game to open 2017 (a first in program history), including last week's beatdown on Nevada. Head coach Mike Leach's potent aerial offensive attack is in the national Top 15 in passing offense (432.5), scoring offense (43.8) and total offense (504.3). Directing the offense is veteran QB Luke Falk, the NCAA's active career leader in passing yards, TDs and total offense. He is completing 77% of his passes (best in the nation) and is also in the Top 11 nationally in passing TDs, completions, passing yards, passing efficiency and total offense. RB James Williams tops the Cougars in receiving (he is fifth in the nation in receptions), with WRs Tavares Martin Jr. and Isaiah Johnson-Mack also catching a lot of balls. RB Jamal Morrow contributes in the rushing, receiving and return games. OG Cody O'Connell was a 2016 unanimous All-American first teamer and Outland Trophy finalist. WSU's defense is among the nation's Top 12 in total defense and pass defense thanks to the likes of ILB Isaac Dotson, S Jalen Thompson and DT Hercules Mata'afa, who has 32.5 career tackles for loss.
*Coaches throughout the nation, including USC's, will be wearing a Coach To Cure MD logo patch during the game.
