Through 2 Quarters

The BYU Cougars were expected to win this one, and so far that’s exactly how it’s playing out. They have emerged as the frontrunner at halftime and are ahead of the USC Trojans 21-13.

The Cougars have been led by RB Tyler Allgeier, who so far has rushed for two TDs and 71 yards on 11 carries. USC has been riding high on the performance of QB Jaxson Dart, who has accumulated 124 passing yards in addition to punching in one rushing touchdown.

The Trojans haven’t been much of a second-half team this season, losing 86% of the time when they were down at the break.

Who’s Playing

No. 13 BYU @ USC

Current Records: BYU 9-2; USC 4-6

What to Know

The USC Trojans have the luxury of staying home another week and will welcome the BYU Cougars at 10:30 p.m. ET Nov. 27 at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. With a combined 992 yards of offense in their previous games, we can expect a fast-paced contest.

The Trojans suffered a grim 62-33 defeat to the UCLA Bruins last week. RB Vavae Malepeai put forth a good effort for the losing side as he punched in three rushing touchdowns. Malepeai had some trouble finding his footing against the Arizona State Sun Devils three weeks ago, so this was a step in the right direction. Malepeai’s sharp performance set his single-game rushing touchdown high for the season.

Meanwhile, BYU turned the game against the Georgia Southern Eagles into a track meet and took the gold after outgaining them 508 yards to 268. BYU had enough points to win and then some against Georgia Southern last week, taking their matchup 34-17. The win came about even with BYU handicapping themselves with 84 penalty yards. Their success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but QB Jaren Hall led the charge as he passed for two TDs and 312 yards on 28 attempts.

USC is expected to lose this next one by 8.5. Now might not be the best time to take the Trojans against the spread since they’ve let down bettors for the past five consecutive games.

USC is now 4-6 while the Cougars sit at 9-2. A pair of defensive stats to keep an eye on: USC is 222nd worst in the nation in rushing touchdowns allowed, with 23 on the season. BYUs have had an even harder time: they are stumbling into the game with the 208th most rushing touchdowns allowed in the nation, having given up 21 on the season. It’s possible one of these Achilles’ heels will wind up tripping the losing team up.

How To Watch

• When: Saturday at 10:30 p.m. ET
• Where: United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum — Los Angeles, California
• TV: ESPN
• Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
• Follow: CBS Sports App
• Ticket Cost: $30.00

Odds

The Cougars are a big 8.5-point favorite against the Trojans, according to the latest college football odds.

The line has drifted a bit towards the Cougars, as the game opened with the Cougars as a 7-point favorite.

Over/Under: -110

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Series History

BYU won the only game these two teams have played in the last seven years.

• Sep 14, 2019 – BYU 30 vs. USC 27