[tps_title]Does Arizona have a chance against USC?[/tps_title]
If that question was asked a month ago, the response would be “Does USC have a chance against Arizona?”
USC appeared to be in disarray with second-year coach Steve Sarkisian fired over reportedly showing up to work drunk. The prevailing concern: How could the Trojans bounce back with four different head coaches (Lane Kiffin, interim coach Ed Orgeron, Sarkisian and now interim coach Clay Helton) in a span of only three seasons?
USC quarterback Cody Kessler is playing for his fourth coach while Anu Solomon is playing for the man who recruited him, Rich Rodriguez.
Funny how things change or maybe not so funny from an Arizona angle.
USC started to establish itself immediately under Helton in the last three weeks, battling Notre Dame on the road to the end, routing third-ranked Utah and defeating a good Cal team on the road.
Arizona, meanwhile, looked punchless at Washington last week after almost upsetting Washington State the week before in Tucson. An anonymous Pac-12 coach told ESPN’s Travis Haney this week that Rodriguez “Looked like he had checked out to me. I don’t know what’s going on with them there. Hard to believe (College) GameDay was there this year. It’s a hard job.”
If somehow Rodriguez gets his team to play like it is having fun again, Arizona might keep things respectable at the Coliseum. Right now, Arizona is playing like Rodriguez looks on the sideline — in the doldrums.
USC is favored by 20. Generally when the Trojans are favored by that much at home against Arizona, they deliver, especially during the Pete Carroll years. However, in the last 10 years, Arizona holds a 6-4 record against-the-spread when playing USC.
Arizona’s only hope is to win the turnover battle and hope Kessler has one of his worst games. USC’s defense is not overpowering like in past years but is still talented.
Hope is the key word for Arizona’s chances. Fun needs to be in the vocabulary as well.
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ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He has also written articles for Bleacher Report and Lindy’s College Sports.[/tps_footer]
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