Colorado is 5-0 and USC is 3-2. Should be easy to pick UC. But that would likely be fool's gold. Colorado SOS is 94th toughest. USC SOS is 7th Toughest. The cumulative W-L for Colorado's opponents is 6-18. The W-L for USC opponents is 19-10. USC had been on the road for 3 of their 5 games. Colorado has been at home for 3 in Boulder, and in the far corner of Denver some 50 miles away for a 4th. The lone true road game was at Nebraska (0-5) where they won 33-28. Hmmm…..
Colorado returned 4 starters on offense and 6 on defense from 2017. They lost 3 starting OL and a good RB in Phillip Lindsay (1507 yards) . And they lost 4 of their top 6 WRs.. One of those O starters is a very good QB Seven Montez. who topped the Wildcats in passing, and was #2 in rushing last year. He is passing very well (284 ypg, 11 TDs-2 Int. at 75% competitions). They do have a good replacement runner in T McMillan (528 yards-6.3 ypc-4TDs). The receiving corps depends heavily on L Shenualt, Jr.leading at 51 receptions for 708 ypg with 6 TDs. There is a pretty big drop off after that (RD Nixon with 23 catches for 290 yards and 1 TD). On defense they brought back their top 3 tacklers and lost their next 4 top tacklers.
Colorado: They beat CSU (Now 2-4) at Denver 45-13. Won at Nebraska (now 0-5) by 33-28. They beat 1-aa New Hampshire (1-4) at home by 45-14. They beat UCLA (now 0-5) at home 38-16 . They beat Arizona State (now 3-3) at home 28-21. Overall they average 37 ppg and give up 18. But against 'better' competition (Nebraska? and ASU) they averaged 30 ppg and gave up 25 ppg.
The Colorado offense has averaged 197 ypg run and 293 ypg pass, Their numbers are skewed by their competition, so it’s a little tough to gauge. They are about the same as USC on 3rd down conversions (about average). On defense they gave up 201 yards pass and 154 yards run. (about average). .They are about the same on both sides of the ball in sacks as USC.. Turnover margin is slightly better than USC.
On special teams their punting is better, but elsewhere USC has the better return results and FG kicking (UC is 4-7 on 30 plus attempts) .
Forecast: SC beat UC 38-24 last year in Boulder ( Montez 27-49-376, 12-40 yds run). USC pretty much bottled up the run game. Expect something similar this year. They beat UC 21-17 at the Coliseum when UC won the PAC12 South. Overall USC is 12-0, and is 7-0 with both teams in the PAC12. USC is undefeated at the Coliseum under HC Helton. Colorado is stepping up Iin competition this year for the first time, and its in but their second away game.. My Forecast: USC 45 Colorado 24.
Colorado returned 4 starters on offense and 6 on defense from 2017. They lost 3 starting OL and a good RB in Phillip Lindsay (1507 yards) . And they lost 4 of their top 6 WRs.. One of those O starters is a very good QB Seven Montez. who topped the Wildcats in passing, and was #2 in rushing last year. He is passing very well (284 ypg, 11 TDs-2 Int. at 75% competitions). They do have a good replacement runner in T McMillan (528 yards-6.3 ypc-4TDs). The receiving corps depends heavily on L Shenualt, Jr.leading at 51 receptions for 708 ypg with 6 TDs. There is a pretty big drop off after that (RD Nixon with 23 catches for 290 yards and 1 TD). On defense they brought back their top 3 tacklers and lost their next 4 top tacklers.
Colorado: They beat CSU (Now 2-4) at Denver 45-13. Won at Nebraska (now 0-5) by 33-28. They beat 1-aa New Hampshire (1-4) at home by 45-14. They beat UCLA (now 0-5) at home 38-16 . They beat Arizona State (now 3-3) at home 28-21. Overall they average 37 ppg and give up 18. But against 'better' competition (Nebraska? and ASU) they averaged 30 ppg and gave up 25 ppg.
The Colorado offense has averaged 197 ypg run and 293 ypg pass, Their numbers are skewed by their competition, so it’s a little tough to gauge. They are about the same as USC on 3rd down conversions (about average). On defense they gave up 201 yards pass and 154 yards run. (about average). .They are about the same on both sides of the ball in sacks as USC.. Turnover margin is slightly better than USC.
On special teams their punting is better, but elsewhere USC has the better return results and FG kicking (UC is 4-7 on 30 plus attempts) .
Forecast: SC beat UC 38-24 last year in Boulder ( Montez 27-49-376, 12-40 yds run). USC pretty much bottled up the run game. Expect something similar this year. They beat UC 21-17 at the Coliseum when UC won the PAC12 South. Overall USC is 12-0, and is 7-0 with both teams in the PAC12. USC is undefeated at the Coliseum under HC Helton. Colorado is stepping up Iin competition this year for the first time, and its in but their second away game.. My Forecast: USC 45 Colorado 24.
