The Minnesota Golden Gophers (2-3, 0-2) will look to get back into thew in column in a big way on Saturday evening when they play host the No. 11 USC Trojans (3-1, 1-1) at Huntington Bank Stadium.
The Gophers are coming off a second-straight loss, a 27-24 hearbreaker to the Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor. The Trojans, on the other hand, earsing a 21-10 halftime deficit this past weekend against Wisconsin to defeat the Badgers 38-21.
Gophers Nation below offers a first look at the Trojans ahead of this weekend's matchup.
Game/Broadcast Details:
Where: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Stadium: Huntington Bank Stadium (50,805)
Time: 6:30 p.m. CT
Television: Big Ten Network
The Trojans boast a new look defense in 2024
Throughout Lincoln Riley's coaching career, there has always been two constants; Explosive high scoring offenses and poor defenses.
The high scoring offense is once again true for the Trojans, averaging 34.2 points per game, the poor defensive play however, is no longer the case, at least through five games.
This offseason, the Trojans went out and made arguably the biggest non-head coaching hire of the offseason by poaching crosstown rival UCLA defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn to lead the Trojans defense.
The early results have been very good for the Trojans.
This season, the Trojans have allowed just 17 points and 304 yards of total offense on average. A major improvement from the 34.4 points and 432.8 yards per game that the Trojans allowed a year ago, ranking 116 out of 130 FBS programs.
They've also been particulary good in the second half this season, only allowing 17 points so far this season in the third and fourth quarters combined.
During his weekly press conference, Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck was highly complimentary of the Trojans defense.
"They're an aggressive style of defense," Fleck said. "They've got corners that are all 6-2, 6-3 and long. They got a linebacker at 6-6. They got a really stout up front defensive line and you look at that Michigan game, I mean, they're one play away from winning that game."
In that 27-24 loss to Michigan in week four, the Wolverines allowed 290 rushing yards on 46 carries, an average of 6.3 yards per carry. While it was their worst defensive performance against the run this season by far, they have shown some cracks against the run throughout the season. Both LSU and Wisconsin averaged over 4.0 yards per carry against the Trojans on the ground.
That all being said, it could also be fair to question the Trojans defense and how much they've actually improved since last season. While it definitely has been a notable improvement, they haven't been tested by a complete offense since week one when they defeated LSU 27-20.
Since their win over LSU, the Trojans have faced one of the worst programs in the country in Utah State, Michigan who had no desire to throw the ball with just 12 attempts in the game, and the Wisconsin Badgers, a quality but far from great opponent that features a young and inexperienced quarterback in Braedyn Locke.
That's not to say this isn't a potential top-25 defense in the country but it's also fair to say that they haven't been tested in several weeks as well. The Gophers offense featuring a dangerous running back in Darius Taylor and an efficient veteran quarterback in Max Brosmer could very well be the Trojans best test since week against LSU.
MIller Moss, USC passing attack will test Gophers defense
After years of patiently waiting for his turn to be USC's starting quarterback, Miller Moss has been impressive for the Trojans so far this season. The Southern California native has completed 65.4% of his passing attempts this season for 1,198 yards and eight ouchdowns with two interceptions thrown.
So far this season, Moss has thrown for at least 230 yards in each game including a 378-yard performance against LSU in the Trojans season opener as well as 283 yards against Michigan in week four.
In two Big Ten games this season, Moss has been strong completing 58-of-99 passing attempts for 591 yards and six touchdowns with two interceptions.
"Everything," P.J. Fleck simply said when asked on Monday of what has stood out about Moss on tape. "He's a gunslinger. I mean, he can throw it around. It's one thing to be a gunslinger. It's another thing to be a gunslinger that's accurate. He's throwing for over 70% completion percentage. And it's not just on screens, and I mean, he's throwing through windows that are about that big, he's agile. He can move, he can run. You can tell that he is a football player first and a quarterback second because he loves the game, and he makes everybody else around him better."
That being said, the Trojans have a deep and talented offense around Moss as well. This Trojans wide receiver room will be the best that the Gophers secondary will face all season. Five different Trojans so far this season have recorded double-digit receptions. "
The two biggest names to know are JaKobi Lane (19 receptions, 221 yards and four touchdowns) as well as Zachariah Branch (18 receptions, 217 yards).
Trojans have dominated the all-time series
Saturday's meeting at Huntington Bank Stadium will be the ninth meeting all-time between the Trojans and Golden Gophers. It will also be the first time the two programs have met since playing a home-and-home series in 2010 and 2011.
After first meeting in 1953, a 17-7 USC win in Los Angeles, the Gophers would earn their only victory in the series in 1955, 25-19. Notably, the two sides tied in the 1965 season, 20-20.
Since 1968, the Trojans have won each of the last five matches including three separate trips to Minneapolis in 1968, 1980, and 2010.
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