MATCHUPS: No. 17 USC (7-2) vs. No. 22 Arizona (6-2)
Tonight, 7:45, Coliseum. TV: ESPN. Radio: 710
Marquee matchup
Khalil Tate vs. USC run defense: Tate entered midgame against Colorado in Week 6 and ran for 327 yards and accounted for five touchdowns. The following games have been nearly as good: He has averaged 210 yards rushing and 186 yards passing over four games. He has completed 69% of his passes in that span and accounted for 3.5 touchdowns per game. He has earned the Pac-12 Conference’s offensive player of the week honors a record four consecutive weeks. USC’s defense had trouble with the one rushing quarterback it saw this season, Notre Dame’s Brandon Wimbush, who rushed for 106 yards and accounted for four touchdowns in a 49-14 Irish win.
Getting offensive
USC (475.8 ypg/33.7
ppg): Quarterback Sam Darnold had one of his best games of the season last week at Arizona State, passing for 266 yards and three touchdowns, and Ronald Jones II did too, rushing for 216 yards and two scores. Jones will be complemented this week by freshman Stephen Carr, who is back from a foot injury. Arizona (522.9 ypg/45.0
ppg): Tate isn’t just a runner; he also has been an efficient passer to receivers such as Shun Brown, who has four touchdown receptions. Arizona has given up only five sacks. Running back J.J. Taylor averages 5.7 yards per rush.
Getting defensive
USC (394.7 ypg/25.8
ppg): USC recorded six sacks against Arizona State and gave up just 79 yards on the ground. USC still will be without starting cornerback Iman Marshall (knee sprain) and outside linebacker Porter Gustin (fractured toe). Gustin’s primary backup, Christian Rector, suffered a broken hand two weeks ago, so inside linebacker Jordan Iosefa will slide over. Arizona (447.8 ypg/30.2
ppg): Arizona has given up an average of 38 points during its four-game winning streak — 16 points more than in its first four games. Its secondary is especially vulnerable: The Wildcats give up 300 yards passing per game. Only two teams in the country are worse. But Arizona survives on turnovers. It has forced at least two in seven of eight games.
Something special
Ajene Harris was back returning punts against Arizona State after USC switched to Jack Jones for one game, and Harris had a season-long 21-yard return. Walk-on freshman kicker Chase McGrath made a career-long 51-yard field goal.
McGrath was outdone by Arizona’s freshman kicker, Lucas Havrisik, who made a 57-yard try in last week’s 58-37 win over Washington State and was named the Pac-12 special teams player of the week. Brown has two touchdowns on punt returns.
Of note
Saturday will be the 500th televised USC game. … Arizona has scored 45 or more points in a schoolrecord four straight games.
Local ties
Arizona has 45 Californians on the roster, including starters Tate (Inglewood), Taylor (Corona), receiver Cedric Peterson (Moreno Valley), defensive tackle Luca Bruno (Oak Park), outside linebacker Kylan Wilborn (Northridge), linebacker Colin Schooler (Dana Point), safety Dane Cruikshank (Chino Hills), cornerback Lorenzo Burns (Murrieta) and Havrisik (Riverside).