USC vs. Cal Gameday Guide: Matchups, lineups, links, odds and more

USC vs. Cal

Memorial Stadium | Berkeley, CA8:00 p.m. Pacific | FS1All-time series: USC leads 69-31-5Last meeting: Cal 15, USC 14

Another week, another revenge opportunity for USC.

This time, the Trojans will look to build on last week’s road grudge match victory over ASU with a second-straight away win against a team that bested them last year.

Cal comes into the weekend having finally snapped a four-game losing streak. They toppled Washington State at Memorial Stadium to bounce back after a blowout loss to Utah. That was on the back of losses to Oregon State, Oregon and ASU.

Now standing with a 5-4 record, it would be easy to forget the Bears opened the season 4-0, including road upsets of Washington and Ole Miss.

USC improved to 6-4 thanks to a victory over ASU. As unsatisfying as it was to jump out to a 28-7 lead in the first quarter, only to squeak out a 31-26 win, the Trojans needed the result to keep their hopes of a Pac-12 South title alive. Control of their own destiny on that front was taken away when they were trampled by Oregon at the Coliseum to start November.

Can USC stay on track and finish out the road campaign with another win? Or will the Bears lock in bowl eligibility in front of their home fans?

Gameday Links

• For the matchups…Which units have the edge in USC vs. Cal?
• For some analysis…USC’s key plays and concepts vs. ASU

Preview Podcast:

Reign of Troy co-hosts Michael Castillo and Alicia de Artola preview the revenge match between USC and Cal with players and stats to know, Over/Unders and more.

LISTEN: USC vs. Cal Preview

Having trouble? Download an MP3, or listen on Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, Google Play and Stitcher.

USC football injury report

• OUT FOR THE SEASON:
  • DB Max Williams (foot)
  • DL Jacob Lichtenstein (calf)
  • LB Jordan Iosefa (knee)
  • LB Solomon Tuliaupupu (foot)
  • OLB Hunter Echols (shoulder)
  • OL Andrew Vorhees (foot)
  • QB JT Daniels (knee)
  • WR Munir McClain (knee)
  • WR Bru McCoy (illness)
• OUT:
  • LB Palaie Gaoteote (ankle/knee)
  • LB Tuasivi Nomura (undisclosed)
  • OL Clayton Bradley (undisclosed)
  • OL Liam Jimmons (elbow)
  • OL Brett Neilon (calf)
  • RB Markese Stepp (foot)
  • TE Ethan Rae (knee)
• QUESTIONABLE:
  • DL Caleb Tremblay (undisclosed)
  • RB Vavae Malepeai (knee)
  • WR Tyler Vaughns (ankle)
• PROBABLE
  • DB Greg Johnson (concussion)
  • DL Marlon Tuipulotu (back)
  • RB Stephen Carr (hamstring)
  • TE Erik Krommenhoek (stinger)

Cal football injury report

• OUT FOR THE SEASON:
  • DB Miles Williams (upper body)
  • LB Myles Jernigan (upper body)
  • LB Chinedu Udeogu (lower body)
  • OL Will Craig (lower body)
  • OL Gentle Williams (lower body)
• QUESTIONABLE:
  • WR Nikko Remigio (undisclosed)
  • WR Ricky Walker III (undisclosed)
• PROBABLE:
  • QB Chase Garbers (shoulder)

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL USC INJURY REPORT

When USC has the ball…

It’ll be strength-on-strength when USC’s offense takes the field against Cal’s defense on Saturday.

The Trojans boast a capable freshman quarterback in Kedon Slovis and a squad of talented wide receivers looking to put up numbers in an Air Raid offense.

Opposite them, the Bears field one of the best defenses in the Pac-12, including a veteran secondary capable of keeping top-tier offenses out of the endzone.

Cal also boasts the nation’s leading tackler in linebacker Evan Weaver.

The question is whether USC’s offense suffers the same fate as Washington State, who could only score 20 points in a loss, or Utah, who put up 35 points in a win.

Cal Defense

DE #93 Luc BequetteNG #90 Brett JohnsonDT #44 Zeandae JohnsonOLB #19 Cameron GoodeILB #8 Kuony DengILB #89 Evan WeaverOLB #96 Tevin PaulCB #24 Tevin PaulS #27 Ashtyn DavisS #6 Jaylinn HawkinsCB #3 Elijah HicksNB #22 Traveon Beck

USC Offense

LT #73 Austin Jackson, Jr.LG #75 Alijah Vera-Tucker, RS-So.C #57 Justin Dedich, RS-Fr.RG #70 Jalen McKenzie, RS-So.RT #53 Drew Richmond, RS-Sr.TE #84 Erik Krommenhoek, Jr.X #6 Michael Pittman, Sr.A #15 Drake London, Fr.Y #8 Amon-Ra St. Brown, So.Z #21 Tyler Vaughns, RS-Jr.RB #23 Kenan Christon, Fr.QB #9 Kedon Slovis, Fr.

When Cal has the ball…

USC’s defense has had their struggles this year, but Cal’s offense may have had it worse.

They rank in the bottom half of nearly every statistical category on offense, but their struggles have been particularly troublesome in the past month without starting QB Chase Garbers.

Garbers will return this weekend, but that doesn’t mean the Bears’ problems will all go away.

They have given up more sacks than anyone in the conference. It’s no wonder they have the lowest scoring average, at 19.1 points per game.

USC hasn’t been able to hold many teams under 20 points, but they have capable pass rushers who will be key to setting the tone. That’s assuming they can keep Garbers in line.

Cal offense

WR #2 Jordan Duncan, Sr.LT #61 Valentino Daltoso, RS-Jr.LG #73 Matthew Cindric, RS-Fr.C #53 Michael Saffell, Jr.RG #72 McKade Mettauer, Fr.RT #71 Jake Curhan, RS-Fr.TE #85 Jake Tonges, RS-So.QB #7 Chase Garbers, RS-So.RB #34 Christopher Brown Jr., So.SLOT #10 Jeremiah Hawkins, Jr.WR #80 Trevon Clark, Jr.

USC defense

DE #89 Christian Rector, RS-Sr.DT #78 Jay Tufele, RS-So.NT #51 Marlon Tuipulotu, RS-So.DE #99 Drake Jackson, Fr.SLB #42 Abdul-Malik McClain, RS-Fr.MLB #10 John Houston, RS-Sr.WLB #26 Kana’i Mauga, So.CB #2 Olaijah Griffin, So.FS #21 Isaiah Pola-Mao, RS-So.SS #15 Talanoa Hufanga, So.NK #9 Greg Johnson, RS-So.CB #6 Isaac Taylor-Stuart, RS-Fr.

Odds (USC -4.5):

USC is a 4.5-point favorite over Cal, courtesy of the Action Network consensus line. The over/under for the game is 48 points.