USC @ Washington State preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 7, 2013 ) Washington State 10, Southern California 7

Javorius “Buck” Allen is the latest USC running back to top 1,000 rushing yards in a season and looks to post another strong effort when the Trojans visit Washington State in Pac-12 play on Saturday. Allen, who has 1,010 yards, was an afterthought in terms of possible feature backs when Lane Kiffin was coach but emerged over the second half of last season and now is a force. He is looking for his sixth straight 100-yard outing and eighth of the season.

Washington State prefers to move the ball through the air and quarterback Connor Halliday has topped 400 yards six times this season and leads the nation with 3,833 passing yards. Halliday has thrown a nation-leading 32 touchdown passes – two shy of his school-record total from last season – including four or more TDs six different times this season. Defense is a problem as the Cougars have allowed an average of 51 points per game during a three-game losing streak.

TV: 4:30 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network. LINE: USC –6.5

ABOUT USC (5-3, 4-2 Pac-12): Quarterback Cody Kessler (2,148 yards) is in the midst of an efficient season by completing 70.2 percent of his passes and throwing 20 touchdowns against only two interceptions. Receiver Nelson Agholor has a team-best 58 catches after hauling in a career-high 10 in last week’s loss to Utah. The stars on defense include safety Su’a Cravens (team leader in both tackles for losses with 11.5 and interceptions with two), middle linebacker Hayes Pullard (team-best 59 tackles) and defensive end Leonard Williams (51 tackles and a team-leading 4.5 sacks).

ABOUT WASHINGTON STATE (2-6, 1-4): Halliday has three solid targets to throw the ball to in Vince Mayle (71 receptions, 926 yards, eight touchdowns), Isiah Myers (59 for 722 and nine TDs) and River Cracraft (59 for 698 and seven TDs). Cracraft set the school mark with 14 receptions against Stanford on Oct. 10 and Mayle matched it with 14 catches against Arizona last Saturday. Defensively, the Cougars allow 38 points and 444.6 yards per game but have a few standouts in middle linebacker Darryl Monroe (59 tackles) and cornerback Daquawn Brown (57 tackles).

EXTRA POINTS

1. USC holds a 57-9-4 series lead but the Cougars prevailed last season 10-7 in Los Angeles.

2. Myers ranks eighth in Washington State history with 145 career receptions, three behind the two players tied for sixth – Phillip Bobo (1990-92) and Jason Hill (2003-06).

3. The Trojans allow 244 passing yards per game but were torched for 510 in a loss to Arizona State.

PREDICTION: USC 45, Washington State 40