USC looks to bounce back against Sun Devils

Last time the Trojans were in Tempe, Arizona, they suffered a blowout loss so bad that Athletic Director Pat Haden had no choice but to fire struggling head coach Lane Kiffin.

When the USC hosted the Sun Devils last season, many thought it would redeem the previous season’s loss, but instead  the game ended in yet another loss for the Trojans, 38-34, after a last second Hail Mary sealed the deal for Arizona State.

On Saturday, the No. 19 Trojans will return to Tempe, this time with two losses to avenge. Not only that, but after last week’s loss to Stanford, the Trojans are in a must-win situation facing a Pac-12 South opponent.

“We have a tough road ahead next week against ASU,” said redshirt senior quarterback Cody Kessler after last Saturday’s game. “This is the turning point in the season that can define us. It depends how the team can respond to adversity.”

Both teams enter this week’s matchup with 2-1 records. USC cruised to a 2-0 record with wins against Arkansas State and Idaho, outscoring their opponents 114-15.

It wasn’t until last week’s loss to Stanford that the Trojans showed any signs of weakness. USC’s defense seemed to be its Achilles’ heel after allowing the Cardinal to rack up almost 500 yards in total offense.

Kessler entered the season as a Heisman hopeful and has lived up to the hype.

Unfortunately for Kessler, his team, especially his defense, have not. Kessler has thrown 10 touchdown passes in three games and no interceptions. He has completed at least 73 percent of his passes in every game and has 922 yards on the season as he continues his Heisman Trophy campaign.

Sophomore wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster has assumed the role of No. 1 receiver and has not disappointed.

He has 434 yards on 22 receptions and four touchdowns already this season and leads all Power five conference teams in receiving yards and is second in catches.

Redshirt senior tailback Tre Madden, who is expected to play on Saturday night after suffering a calf strain against Stanford, is leading an invigorated run game.

“Tre looked great [today] … I feel very confident he’ll play and be a quality player for us Saturday night,” head coach Steve Sarkisian said after Thursday’s practice.

Senior center Max Tuerk heads a powerful offensive line that has done a better job of protecting Kessler since its first game.     Though the offense certainly needs to improve on third down conversions, the defense will need to make vast adjustments to end ASU’s streak.

“We have to get back up and go on the road at Arizona State and fix the things that need to be fixed and get a win in the South division,” Sarkisian said.

While the Trojans have cooled off since the start of the season, ASU has been steadily improving since its season opening loss to Texas A&M. In week two, the Sun Devils rebounded with a win over Cal Poly.

Last week, senior quarterback Mike Bercovici passed for 317 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-10 win over New Mexico. He also had a rushing touchdown against New Mexico, displaying his versatility and mobility, something Stanford quarterback Kevin Hogan used to silence the Trojan defense.

“We have to do a good job as leaders of this program so that we don’t lay in the weeds [saying], ‘Woe is me,’” Sarkisian said.

Last time Bercovici faced USC, he replaced injured starter Taylor Kelly and passed for 510 yards against a tired Trojan defense.

Bercovici’s play earned him the starting job this season, and he will look to repeat his performance this Saturday.

“I want our defense to be aggressive, fast, opportunistic, creating turnovers, getting our hands on the ball, playing with a chip on their shoulder,” Sarkisian said.

Two great quarterbacks will lead to dynamic Pac-12 offenses, and the difference in the game will likely come down to which defense can apply the most pressure to the opposing quarterback.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. in Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. It will be broadcast live on ESPN.

“I’m excited by the fact that we are eager to get back on the field,  and I think that’s a great mentality to have after a tough loss,” Sarkisian said.