By Myke Williams
Sports Reporter
The USC football team has experienced a lot of ups and downs this season. This week they find themselves up at the top of the Pac-12 South division. They control their own destiny starting Saturday when they travel to Oregon to face the Ducks at 12:30 p.m.
The teams have identical records of 7-3 overall and 5-2 in their divisions and the game will be televised on ESPN.
The first place Trojans will be facing a team that has also found its’ way. After a slow start the Ducks, who played in the National Championship game last season, are in second place in the Pac-12 North and upset division leader Stanford on the road last week.
The Trojans, under the direction of interim head coach Clay Helton, are two wins away from capturing the Pac-12 South title and going to the conference championship game. They’ve won four games in a row and are 4-1 under Helton.
Helton seems to be the calming influence the team needed after its roller coaster ride under Steve Sarkisian.
USC seems to get stronger in the second half and are able to make adjustments during the second half. At the beginning of the year the Trojans had trouble correcting their mistakes. A good example is their come from behind 27-24 win over Colorado on the road in cold weather last Friday.
The Trojans will continue to rely on an offense that can score points anywhere on the field. Senior quarterback Cody Kessler is the leader of the pack. He has one of the best receivers in the nation in JuJu Smith-Schuster along with Steven Mitchell and Adoree’ Jackson. Roland Jones II and Justin Davis are a great one-two punch at running back and the offensive line is led by 6-9 360 pound Zack Banner.
The defense is led by linebacker Su’a Cravens, defensive lineman Delvon Simmons, Antwaun Woods and Greg Townsend Jr. In the defensive backfield they will rely on Jackson, Kevon Seymour, Iman Marshall, Chris Hawkins and John Plattenburg.
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