USC vs. Colorado Staff Predictions

After dismantling the ASU Sun Devils last Saturday, USC looks to stay hot when they host the Colorado Buffaloes this weekend. Here’s our staff predictions:

Julian Lopez: USC 48 Colorado 24

Has Colorado finally turned the corner? Yes but don't let that 4-1 record fool you. Three of those four wins have been against Colorado St, Idaho St, and both Oregon schools. USC has more talent and speed than the Buffs and I think the offense stays hot behind Darnold and the Trojans win big.

Nick Dempsey: USC 35, Colorado 31

I still have serious concerns about Clay Helton and this coaching staff but the Trojans are a completely different team when they are playing in the Coliseum. The last time the Trojans lost at home was on October 8th 2015 Steve Sarkisian’s last game. Since then the Trojans have outscored opponents in the Coliseum 206-102 and are undefeated in the Coliseum under Clay Helton. USC is incredibly difficult to beat at home.

Colorado on the other hand went into the Big House and stood toe to toe with Michigan if not for a mid game injury at QB and a handful of special teams blunders the Buffaloes would have won that game and probably would have been a top 10 team. The following week they went back on the road to Oregon and secured the victory there. While Colorado is an awfully good football team that has looked sharp in early road tests I don’t see them beating USC in Los Angeles.

Steve Walter - USC 42, Colorado 31

Make no mistake, the Buffaloes are for real. They have defied the odds and risen to the top of Pac-12 South. If they lose this game, it won’t make them a fluke. It will be because USC is playing its best football, by far, right now.

Sam Darnold has taken the SC offense to another level, and there’s no reason they won’t continue to put up points. This should be one of the more entertaining games of the year, with the Trojans having the most fun at the end. Look for them to maintain their stride in this Saturday afternoon shootout.

Matthew Lowry: USC 45 Colorado 31

I’ve told people about Colorado for quite some time now, but I would be lying to myself if I said I knew that they would play like this. Colorado has already proven that they’re for real with a win over Oregon and going into the Big House early and pushing Michigan before injuries hurt them. They’re going to come into this game ready to put up a fight. USC can’t afford a slow start nor take this team lightly at all.

USC appears to be figuring out things. The offense has been on a tear since Sam Darnold took over as the starting quarterback and I don’t see that changing this week. USC has more weapons on offense and will test the Buffaloes secondary. One thing to keep an eye on is the defense. Will they repeat the same success they’ve had against ASU last week? Key thing is getting into Colorado’s backfield, so expect the Trojans to blitz again.

This game will be a close one, however I see USC pulling away late in the game to secure the win.

Darrien Starling: USC 34 Colorado 27

I believe that USC will feed off of their momentum they created for themselves last week in their victory over the Arizona State Sun Devils. When the Trojans are playing with confidence they can be very hard to beat. I expect the team to rally behind the play of Sam Darnold and put up some points against the great Colorado Defense. The Buffs haven’t exactly beat the best competition this season (Colorado State, Idaho State, Oregon, and Oregon State), which leads me to believe that there is still a mystery about how good they really are. This game will be back and forth and I expect special teams to play a huge part in this game, watch out for Adoree Jackson.

Joseph Kavaloski: USC 38 Colorado 34

Sefo Liufau’s injury will prove pivotal in this one. Even if he plays, he will not be 100% giving the Trojans an offensive edge. USC completely dominated Arizona State last week and carrying over that momentum will be imperative. Another Pac-12 loss would all but end USC’s chances of winning the South, but a big victory against the Buffs could propel the Trojans as they head into the lightest part of the schedule. Sam Darnold will need to keep hold of the ball with Colorado’s opportunistic defense, but his performances since being named the starter suggests that should not be a problem. On defense, SC will need to stay focused and not switch off against Shay Fields as the dynamic receiver has legitimate big play ability. In the end, I expect the Trojans to come out victorious in a very close, high scoring game.

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