Friday Night Football Preview: #5 USC Trojans vs #16 Washington State Cougars

steemsports (80)in #steemsports • 7 years ago

SteemSports Presenter:@hogan22

SteemSports Editor:@scottybuckets

The 5th ranked USC Trojans face an extremely tough test tonight against the 16th ranked Washington State Cougars. This game features 2 dynamic quarterbacks who will be playing in the NFL on Sundays next fall. There will be plenty of offense and big plays in this game and it should be extremely entertaining.

The game kicks off tonight at 10:30pm Eastern Standard Time and can be seen on National Television on ESPN. It will take place at Martin Stadium in Pullman, Washington. The USC Trojans are favored by 6 points and the over/under is 61 points.

What to watch when USC has the ball:

All eyes will be on quarterback Sam Darnold. He has been getting all of the praise and hype by the media this year as the future #1 draft pick in the NFL Draft. But Darnold hasn't played anywhere near his potential yet this year. He has thrown 9 touchdowns but his 7 interceptions are a huge concern. He should be able to pick a part the Washington State defense but the home field advantage for the Cougars will be a big one.

The running game for USC should be strong and take some pressure off of the quarterback. Ronald Jones is having a great year out of the backfield and is rushing for over 100 yards a game and has 5 touchdowns. If he can get going early, it will open up the play action and give Darnold a chance at making some big plays downfield.

What to watch when Washington State has the ball:

Don't blink or you might miss a play. The Cougars have one of the most potent offenses in the country and play at a very fast pace. Quarterback Luke Falk will be flinging the ball all over the field. Look for him to eclipse the 50 pass attempt mark tonight with ease. He has put up gaudy numbers so far this year with 14 touchdowns and only 1 interception. He is averaging 344 yards per game in the air.

The running game at Washington State is more of an afterthought. Jamal Morrow is a talented back but don't expect him to get many carries. He will catch a handful of balls out of the backfield though.

Prediction:

This will be one hell of a game. The crowd will be wild and the atmosphere will be fantastic. I expect both teams to move the ball with ease and this to turn into a shootout. This might be a game that comes down to who has the ball last. I will be taking Washington State +6 and the OVER 61.

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