A clash between two teams battling it out for third place in the Pac-12 South division likely doesn't hold a ton of national interest today, as USC (4-5, 3-4) hosts UCLA (6-4, 4-3) in the Coliseum.
But locally, the rivalry game should spike some interest within the respective fan bases.
Even if USC fans aren't compelled by the Trojans' last-gasp attempt to become bowl eligible or at least avoid a losing season, they should be intrigued by freshman quarterback Jaxson Dart making his first career start.
Dart has captivated interest since his breakout performance off the bench at Washington State in Week 3 (391 passing yards, 4 TDs, 2 INTs) and now gets his first chance to command the offense from start to finish, with junior three-year starter Kedon Slovis sidelined by a lower leg injury.
For UCLA, meanwhile, the Bruins are bowl-eligible for the first time in the Chip Kelly era, yet this hasn't been the season their fans expected either and Kelly's future with the program has been questioned, meaning there's plenty at stake over their final two games.
And, of course, there's always the implications of the crosstown rivalry to fire up both sides.
Related coverage:
-Podcast: Former QB Max Browne breaks down USC-UCLA and talks Jaxson Dart
-Dart embraces high expectations entering first start
-See which top prospects are visiting USC this weekend
USC leads the all-time series 49-32-7 dating back to 1929, and the Trojans have only lost five times to UCLA in the last 22 meetings, including just once in the last 11 meetings in the Coliseum. (It's easier to frame it that way as two USC wins in that span were vacated due to NCAA penalty).
More recently, Trojans offensive coordinator Graham Harrell has had some of his best success against the Bruins.
In 2019, Slovis passed for 515 yards, 4 TDs and 0 INTs vs. UCLA in a 52-35 win, and last year he threw for 344 yards, 5 TDs and 2 picks in a wild 43-38 comeback victory.
Now, it will be Dart's turn to take his shot at a UCLA defense that ranks 76th nationally, giving up 391.2 yards per game. The Bruins have been especially susceptible against the pass (267.2 yards allowed per game, 113th nationally).
On the other side, UCLA returns a familiar set of playmakers plus a bolstered rushing tandem.
The Bruins are led by veteran quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who has passed for 1,896 yards, 14 TDs and 4 INTs while rushing for 461 yards and 7 scores.
Michigan transfer Zach Charbonnet (864 rushing yards, 5.6 yards per carry, 11 TDs) has paired with Brittain Brown (615 yards, 6.0 YPC, 7 TDs) to form perhaps the top running back tandem in the conference.
And wide receiver Kyle Phillips (47 catches for 627 yards and 6 TDs) and tight end Greg Dulcich (34-564-4) should be well known to USC fans by now.
USC is a 3-point underdog at home as the teams kickoff at 1 p.m. PT on FOX.
As always, the TrojanSports.com teams brings you its final thoughts, perspectives and predictions on the matchup ...
What do you expect from QB Jaxson Dart in his first career start?
Ryan Young: "I expect an aggressive passing attack that will no doubt feature some big throws but I also wouldn't be surprised if there was an interception or two mixed in. The key for Dart is going to be handling the UCLA blitz, as the Bruins will surely come at him aggressively as well. The thing about Dart, though, is his poise and unflappability are among his strongest attributes, so I don't expect the spotlight of the moment or the pressure from the pass rush to rattle him at all. The burgeoning stardom of Jaxson Dart should only grow Saturday."
Tajwar Khandaker: "For starters, I expect him to look better than he did against Arizona State. It was evident that the two-quarterback situation was hampering the play of both Dart and Slovis, and a week to prepare as a full-game starter should give Dart a much higher comfort level against UCLA. Rivalry games are often good time to see if players have that special edge to them for big moments. There are players who consistently find a way to step it up in these scenarios; recall all the past Trojans who have consistently been at their best every year against the Bruins. Drake London has been one of those guys -- so has Kedon Slovis. This is an excellent opportunity for Dart to prove himself as one of the special guys early in his career, and I’m inclined to feel that he’s up to it. Of course, he’ll find himself in a situation that likely remains badly broken; the USC offense still has very real problems, and the defense is woefully unstable. Nonetheless, I think this is a UCLA defense that Dart can exploit with his natural mobility and off-platform abilities. His aggression might get him in trouble at times, but I expect Dart to have a pretty big day."
What do you think the future holds for Kedon Slovis?
Young: "Everybody here knows by now that I'm retaining all of my Kedon Slovis stock. I think he's been dealt a bad situation this year that was mishandled by the coaching staff. Unfortunately, that has likely undermined his NFL draft prospects for this year. I personally still think he could decide to make the leap regardless, as he would likely excel at pro day and in any combine workouts, do well in team interviews and he still has plenty of great college tape for NFL scouts to pour over. But I could also see him wanting to finish his college career on a better note -- somewhere. I don't think returning to USC makes the most sense, as it will be hard to stall Dart's future and there's no upside in Slovis returning to any sort of QB timeshare or risk losing the job with a new coaching staff coming in that might prioritize building around a highly-talented young QB. If he were to transfer, Slovis should have no shortage of suitors. If he lands in the right offense, I would be fully confident that he'd return to his previous production levels and elevate his draft stock. The talent is definitely there, as it's always been."
Khandaker: "I still think Kedon Slovis is a talented and capable quarterback, who could either ensure an NFL draft selection this year or transfer to a starting job elsewhere. Some people aren’t going to buy the idea of Slovis still getting drafted, but in a muddled QB class like this year, Slovis has a good shot at getting picked. He’s only two years removed from an electric freshman year of tape, and he’s flashed NFL level throws even through this rough latter phase of his USC career. You’d also assume that he’s likely to throw well at the combine; his body of work would probably get him selected somewhere in the mid-to-late rounds. If he chooses not to go that route, he’d certainly have opportunities to compete for a starting job at a number of schools, perhaps ASU."
