No. 13 USC ready to showcase its defense against explosive Utah State

LOS ANGELES -- - The defensive improvements Southern California showed in its 27-20 win over LSU have been the talk of college football.

One year after wasting quarterback Caleb Williams' final season with an inept group that couldn't tackle, couldn't cover and couldn't maintain discipline, the Trojans looked nothing like that despite returning many of the same players.

Going into its home opener against Utah State on Saturday, No. 13 USC believes it still has more growth to tap into.

"We played a solid game, defensively, offensively, whatever," defensive end Jamil Muhammad said. "But we look back at the tape, we didn't really do nowhere near as good as we believe we should have, just looking at technique and stuff like that. While we do have confidence, we also have like that edge about us, like 'Dang, if only we had done this, maybe it would have been 34-20.'"

USC (1-0) still gave up 6.6 yards per play, failed to generate a sack, and did not force a turnover until the second to last play of the game. But the defense made up for those issues by clamping down in the red zone, allowing two touchdowns in four chances and holding LSU to a field goal late to tie the game at 20.

Defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn praised the resilience of his unit in being able to raise its level of play in those key moments, something they struggled badly with last season under his predecessor Alex Grinch.

"You have to make them earn it all the way down, so I don't care if it's a 10-play drive or if they got down there in one explosive play, they're not in the end zone yet," Lynn said.

Facing the explosive offense of Utah State (1-0), which racked up 646 yards in a 36-14 win over Robert Morris, USC might get to show if it can handle a mobile quarterback it knows all too well.

Playing for Utah last season, Bryson Barnes' running ability helped set up the game-winning field goal as time expired in a 34-32 defeat at the Coliseum that sent USC into a spiral.

"Like they spread you out, they make you very honest to quarterback run," Muhammad said. "They're very dynamic. I feel like you can't take them lightly."

Flying start

Two games might be too small of a sample size to make sweeping declarations, but USC quarterback Miller Moss has shined so far. Moss, a fourth-year junior, has thrown for 750 yards and seven touchdown passes against one interception with a 72.5% completion percentage against Louisville in the Holiday Bowl and LSU.

"I'm so proud of Miller, being able to see him grow. I've been here basically the whole time that he's been here, seeing him grow and seeing him be able to be comfortable in those situations that usually a lot of people stress in," wide receiver Kyle Ford said.

QB uncertainty

It is unclear who will start at quarterback for Utah State after starter Spencer Petras hurt his ankle in the second quarter of the season opener and was replaced by Barnes.

Petras, the Iowa graduate transfer in his seventh year of college football, is day to day, interim coach Nate Dreiling said. Petras was 10 of 15 passing for 145 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions before the injury.

Aggie adds

Barnes and Petras aren't the only Utah State players with power conference experience. Wide receiver Kyrese White, who had three receptions for 131 yards and two touchdowns against Robert Morris, played three seasons at Utah. Cornerback Avante Dickerson (two tackles, one tackle for loss) started his career at Oregon, and linebacker Clyde Washington (six tackles) came west after four years at Purdue.

Home, (not so) sweet home

The Trojans will try to end a three-game home losing streak when they kick off their 101st season playing in the venerable Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. USC lost to Utah, Washington and crosstown rival UCLA to wrap up the disappointing 2023 campaign.

Good night

USC fans groused when Big Ten Network announced in May the game would kick off at 8 p.m. local time, the 11 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time start exactly what the move out of the Pac-12 was supposed to eliminate. Little did they know a dangerous heat wave would be gripping the region this week, making the after dark placement a pleasant break with projected highs of 97 degrees in Exposition Park on Saturday.

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