Arizona @ USC preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 15, 2016 ) Southern California 48, Arizona 14

First place in the Pac-12 South Division will be on the line when No. 17 USC hosts No. 25 Arizona at the Los Angeles Coliseum on Saturday night. The Wildcats have won four in a row to remain in contention for a berth in the conference championship game, while the Trojans have won three straight in Pac-12 play to maintain a half-game lead on the Wildcats.

Containing Arizona quarterback Khalil Tate will be at the top of the list for USC, which is coming off its best all-around performance this season in a 48-17 win at Arizona State last weekend. Tate has piled up 840 rushing yards and eight touchdowns in the past four games, as well as 743 passing yards and six touchdowns, becoming the first player in Pac-12 history to earn offensive player of the week honors four straight weeks. Before that stretch, Tate had combined for 86 yards rushing and 41 yards passing in the first four games, and did not account for any touchdowns during the 2-2 start. USC has a strong runner in Ronald Jones II, who ran for 216 yards and two touchdowns against Arizona State, and has 254 rushing yards and two touchdowns in two career games against the Wildcats.

TV: 10:45 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: USC -7.

ABOUT ARIZONA (6-2, 4-1 Pac-12): Tate's success seems to have opened wider holes for running back J.J. Taylor, who had 157 rushing yards on 13 carries against Washington State, including touchdown runs of 79 and 3 yards. The redshirt freshman from the Southern California Inland Empire city of Corona is the fifth player for Arizona to produce a 100-yard rushing effort this season. Staying on the field has been the biggest issue for Taylor, as he sustained a season-ending broken ankle in the fourth game last season, and two weeks ago was ejected in the first quarter for targeting while pass blocking against California.

ABOUT USC (7-2, 5-1): A key player for the Trojans this week will be middle linebacker Cameron Smith, who comes in fourth in the Pac-12 at 8.8 tackles a game. Smith is one of 15 finalists for the Butkus Award, annually awarded to the nation’s best linebacker. Rasheem Green leads the conference with seven sacks, but the Trojans are still adjusting to the loss of previous sack leader Christian Rector, who will miss his second straight game with a broken hand sustained during practice on Oct. 25.

EXTRA POINTS

1, Arizona has beaten USC twice since 2001.

2. USC is riding a 14-game home-winning streak, its longest since winning 21 in a row from 2001 to 2004.

3. Jones needs 112 rushing yards for his second straight 1,000-yard season.

PREDICTION: USC 37, Arizona 31