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USC Football Returns to Coliseum to Host Arizona on Homecoming
October 13, 2019 | Football, Features
THEMES
*USC not only returns to Pac-12 play this week, but the Trojans are back in the Coliseum for the first time in a month to host Pac-12 South foe Arizona on Homecoming/Reunion Weekend. The night contest (USC's fifth of 2019) will air nationally on Pac-12 Network.
*Troy has captured more than 80% of its games against the Wildcats (including the past 6 meetings), with just 2 losses since 2001. Arizona has only beaten USC 4 times in Los Angeles (and not since 2009). However, nearly half of the games in the USC-UA series have been decided by 8 points or less.
*It's USC's Zero Waste Green Game as part of the Pac-12's Zero Waste Challenge. The Trojans and the Coliseum are competing with other league schools to divert waste from landfills to recycling or composting.
*USC, coming off a hard-fought, tightly-contested loss at Notre Dame, begins its closing run of 6 straight Pac-12 contests and controls its destiny to a conference title. Head coach Clay Helton's Trojans are playing the nation's fourth toughest schedule (they've already faced 4 Top 25-ranked teams, beating 2 of them). USC's offense continues to average nearly 30 points and 430 total yards per game despite starting 3 different quarterbacks (JT Daniels, Kedon Slovis, Matt Fink). Slovis, a true freshman who is completing 75% of his aerials (fourth nationally), is back at the helm and had a huge second half at Notre Dame in the near-comeback. He throws to an elite wideout corps, including WRs Michael Pittman Jr. (Top 15 nationally in receptions and receiving yards), Tyler Vaughns (No. 15 on USC's career receptions list) and Amon-Ra St. Brown (92 catches in his young career, including 8 grabs at Notre Dame). USC's 3-headed ground game features TBs Vavae Malepeai, Stephen Carr and bruising Markese Stepp (each averages at least 4.7 yards per rush). The Trojan offensive line--led by OT Austin Jackson and OG Alijah Vera-Tucker--has been solid all season. USC's young defense (9 freshman or sophomore starters) continues to make an impact despite a rash of injuries. Among the top tacklers are ILBs John Houston Jr. and Palaie Gaoteote IV, Ss Talanoa Hufanga and Isaiah Pola-Mao and DLs Drake Jackson, Marlon Tuipulotu and Jay Tufele. PK Chase McGrath continues to be perfect on field goals and PATs in 2019 and WR Velus Jones Jr. trails only Adoree' Jackson on USC's career kickoff return chart.
*Head coach Kevin Sumlin's Arizona squad had its 4-game winning streak snapped last week with a home loss to Washington. The Wildcat offense is in the national Top 10 in total offense, averaging nearly 510 yards per game (300 passing). Directing the offense is dual threat QB Khalil Tate, who is 14th nationally in total offense. He is only the second Pac-12 player to pass for 5,000 yards and run for 2,000 yards in his career. Leading rushers are RBs J.J. Taylor, a 2018 All-Pac-12 first teamer who is approaching 3,000 career rushing yards, and Gary Brightwell. while top pass catchers are WRs Brian Casteel and junior WR Tayvian Cunningham. Arizona's defense, on the other hand, sits in the nation's bottom 20 in total defense, scoring defense and pass defense (allowing 473 total yards and 33 points a game). LBs Colin Schooler, who has 250-plus career (more than 40 are for losses), and Tony Fields II are the top tacklers. CBs Lorenzo Burns and Jace Whittaker rank high nationally in interceptions.
RANKINGS
*USC and Arizona are not ranked in the AP sports media or Amway coaches poll this week.
SERIES
*USC holds a 33-8 lead in its series with Arizona (not including Troy's 2005 home victory that was later vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record 34-8). The Trojans have won the past 6 matchups, 8 of the last 9 and 15 of the last 17. Troy has lost just twice to the Wildcats since 2001. USC won the first 9 games in the series and 15 of the first 16, then later the Trojans had a 7-game winning streak over the Wildcats snapped with a loss in 2009. Nearly half (19) of the USC-Arizona meetings have been decided by 8 points or less. USC has scored at least 24 points in the past 9 meetings and the Trojans have tallied single digits only once in the series.
*In Los Angeles games, USC is 18-4 (not including Troy's 2005 home victory that was later vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record 19-4). The Trojans have won the last 4 meetings in the Coliseum.
*In 2017 in the teams' last meeting in the Coliseum, TB Ronald Jones II ran for 194 yards and 3 short TDs, including a pair late in the game after No. 23 Arizona rallied from a 22-point third quarter deficit to tie the score, to help No. 17 USC overcome the Wildcats, 49-35. The victory put the Trojans in the driver's seat in the chase for the Pac-12 South Division championship.
*After building a 24-0 lead in the third quarter last year in Tucson, USC--aided by a career-best 173-yard, 2-touchdown rushing performance by TB Aca'Cedric Ware--had to hold on to defeat Arizona, 24-20. It was USC's first road win of 2018 in 3 tries. See page 4 for a complete recap of that most recent matchup.
HOMECOMING RECORD
*USC has a 63-27-4 record in its Homecoming games, dating back to the first such event in 1924 (not including 1 win vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 64-27-4).
VERSUS PAC-12
*USC has won 69.9% (469-194-29) of its games against current Pac-12 opponents (not including 9 wins later vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 478-194-29, 70.3%).
IN COLISEUM
*USC has a 448-139-27 (.752) all-time record in the Coliseum since the stadium opened in 1923 (not including 6 wins vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 454-139-27, .754). USC's 620 games played in the Coliseum (including the 6 vacated wins) is the second most that any school has played in its home stadium (behind Georgia Tech's 697 in Bobby Dodd Stadium).
AT NIGHT
*USC owns a 178-65-4 (.729) all-time record at night, including 106-29-4 in the Coliseum, 57-29 on the road and 15-7 at neutral sites. (Does not include 5 wins and 1 loss vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 183-66-4, .723 overall, 109-29-4 in the Coliseum, 17-8 at neutral sites.)
IN OCTOBER
*USC has a 309-122-19 (.708) all-time record while playing in the month of October (not including 5 wins vacated due to NCAA penalty; revised record: 314-122-19, .711).
USC-ARIZONA CONNECTIONS
*USC has 6 players from Arizona (OT Austin Jackson from Phoenix's North Canyon HS, S Isaiah Pola-Mao of Phoenix's Moutain Pointe HS, QB Kedon Slovis of Scottsdale's Desert Mountain HS, DL Connor Murphy of Phoenix's Brophy Prep, OG-OT AJ Mageo of Mesa's Red Mountain HS and WR Zach Wilson of Scottsdale's Saguaro HS), while the Wildcats have 40 Californians.
*USC special teams coordinator/tight ends coach John Baxter was a graduate assistant at Arizona in 1988, then served as the tight ends/special teams coach there in 1990 and 1991.
*DL Connor Murphy's sister, Kayli, played basketball at Arizona State (2007-10) and competed in the 2011 Miss Arizona USA pageant.
*WR Michael Pittman Jr.'s father, Michael, played with the Arizona Cardinals (1998-2000).
*OT Jalen McKenzie's father, Reggie, was a linebacker with the Arizona Cardinals (1989-90).
*S Isaiah Pola-Mao's father, Tracey, played with the Arena League's Arizona Rattlers (1994-96).
*Defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast (2004-08) previously worked with the Arizona Cardinals and was on the staff of the 2008 team that played in Super Bowl XLIII. He attended Tolleson (Ariz.) High and his family owned dairy farm property in Glendale (Ariz.) that is now home to University of Phoenix Stadium, home of the Cardinals.
*Arizona CB Lorenzo Burns' father, DeChon Burns, lettered at cornerback at USC in 1989.
*Arizona cornerbacks coach Demetrice Martin was a defensive graduate assistant coach at USC in 2006 and 2007.
*Arizona assistant baseball coach Dave Lawn previously held a similar position at USC (2001-07).
*Arizona assistant track coach Sheldon Blockburger held a similar position at USC (2016-18).
*Arizona women's basketball director of operations Jessika Carrington previously was an administrative assistant with the USC team (2014-17).
*David Miller, director of on-campus recruiting and basketball analytics for the Arizona men's basketball team, is the son of former USC men's basketball assistant coach Dave Miller.
*John Mosbach, who previously worked in USC's Student-Athlete Academic Services, is an associate athletic director in charge of Arizona's CATS Academic Center.
ZERO WASTE GREEN GAME
*The USC-Arizona game is USC's Zero Waste Green Game as part of the Pac-12's Zero Waste Challenge. Pac-12 campuses compete with each other in pursuit of a zero waste home football game each season. USC and the Coliseum have a nationally-recognized Zero Waste program (in partnership with USC's Office of Sustainability and the stadium's vendors) that for the past 3 years has diverted more than 90% of waste generated at USC and Rams games from landfills to recycling or composting. Since 2015, the Coliseum's Zero Waste program has diverted over 780 tons of waste (267 tons in 2018 while achieving Zero Waste at 14 of the 17 USC and Los Angeles Rams games played there). USC won the Pac-12's Zero Waste Competition in 2016 and 2017, and in 2019 the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors awarded USC and the Coliseum its Green Leadership Award.
RENOVATED COLISEUM
*Fans attending USC's 6 home games in 2019 at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum will enjoy the stadium's completed $315-million renovation, which includes new seats (many with increased legroom), aisle handrails, additional aisles, a new stadium-wide Wi-Fi system, upgraded concession stands, new ticket scanners, TVs and game audio in public areas, new graphics, and a restored mural in the peristyle. There also is a new south-side structure housing suites, loge boxes, club seats, a new concourse, a new press box and a rooftop club. Click Here for Coliseum gameday information.
Click Here for full game notes
