5 Things To Watch For During USC vs Utah State

Sep 3, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; USC Trojans head coach Clay Helton reacts during the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

USC vs Utah State isn’t a marquee game of the weekend, but blowout hangovers, frustrated receivers and a big spread mean there will be plenty to watch for at the Coliseum.

Utah State enters Week 2 on the right side of a blowout. USC couldn’t have been further on the wrong side of a crushing Week 1 defeat.

However, the level of season opener opposition between the two teams could not have been more drastically different either. The Trojans were embarrassed by the No. 1 team in the nation, while the Aggies blasted an outmatched FCS opponent.

There is plenty still to prove for Utah State, who is looking for a statement win. As for USC, showing that they are better than 52-6 is imperative.

Here’s five things to watch for when the Trojans take on the Aggies…

Hangover? Or Bounce Back?

There are two ways this could go. Option 1, the Trojans, deflated by the blowout loss to Alabama, sleepwalk into the unusually early kickoff and face an unexpectedly difficult challenge from the Aggies.

Option 2, the Trojans, riled up by the blowout loss to Alabama, take out their anger and frustration by making a statement against the Aggies in front of the home crowd.

What’s it going to be?

It might not have seemed like a statement game going into the season, but USC vs Utah State has become that for the Trojans. The trouble is a statement can go both ways.

If Clay Helton’s team lays another egg, it might take a minor miracle to resuscitate his head coaching career at USC.

If, on the other hand, the men of Troy rise out of the ashes of AT&T Stadium, stronger and more focused, then it’s game on for the 2016 season.

Nov 29, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans left tackle Toa Lobendahn (50) against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Health In The Trenches

It was bad enough that USC lost to Alabama the way that they did, but the far reaching consequences of that game have only gotten worse.

On Thursday, Helton revealed Toa Lobendahn will miss the rest of the season with an ACL and MCL tear he suffered on the second series against the Tide.

As a result, Nico Falah will once again start for the Trojans at center. And USC can only hope that he’ll make it through the season unharmed.

There are health concerns on the other side of the trenches as well.

Noah Jefferson was a bright spot for USC against Alabama before he was forced out of the game with a shoulder injury. That problem has not cleared up and Helton indicated that he is “highly doubtful” to play against the Aggies.

Also on the defensive line, converted offensive lineman Khaliel Rodgers has a hamstring problem and is 50-50 to take the field on Saturday.

Those injuries are compounded by suspensions at outside linebacker. Back up OLB Don Hill remains out as police investigate his role in an alleged sexual assault also involving inside linebacker Osa Masina. Opposite Hill, back up Jabari Ruffin will sit out the first half against Utah State because of the stamp that saw him ejected from the season opener.

USC wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster during practice at Howard Jones Field. (Alicia de Artola/Reign of Troy)

JuJu Smith-Schuster Watch

It was a frustratingly uneventful weekend for JuJu Smith-Schuster. Then, it was a frustratingly eventful week for the Trojan receiver.

Smith-Schuster was limited to just one catch against Alabama after being shut out from touching the ball for almost three quarters.

The frustration from his own performance and USC’s 52-6 scoreline spilled over on Tuesday when Smith-Schuster exploded during practice. He scuffled with defensive teammates, stormed away and sat against a wall for a period of practice until Helton, offensive coordinator Tee Martin and cornerback Adoree’ Jackson talked him down.

It’s easy to understand why Smith-Schuster was so fired up after the embarrassing show in Texas. Still, his tantrum could be interpreted in a variety of ways. Was he showing the kind of passion USC’s whole team should have shown on Saturday? Was his reaction a sign of USC’s crumbling psyche? It’s all in the eye of the beholder.

When it comes to the game against Utah State, some of it will come into focus.

Will Smith-Schuster touch the ball early and often this time around? Will his emotions get the better of him and result in drops or other mistakes?

JuJu Smith-Schuster Watch 2016 is on.

Oct 23, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; Utah State Aggies head coach Matt Wells talks to his players before the game against the San Diego State Aztecs at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

The 16-Point Spread

Vegas oddsmakers set the line between USC and Utah State at 16 points, a margin that seems simultaneously large and small.

USC’s average margin of victory over Utah State is 37 points in five meetings. In fact, the Trojans first four meetings with the Aggies were brutal, ranging from 28 points to 65 between 1928 and 1989.

However, the last meeting between the two teams was much more competitive. In 2013, Matt Wells’ Utah State came to the Coliseum and battled the Trojans in a tight defensive game. Ultimately, Lane Kiffin’s USC emerged victorious by a narrow margin of 17-14.

Though Utah State was bested by San Diego State by 34 points and BYU by 23 last year, the Aggies have kept double digit losses to a minimum under Wells.

In two games against Pac-12 opposition last season, Utah State was reasonably competitive as well. Utah hosted the Aggies for a ten-point win while Washington bested them by 14.

Nov 29, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; USC fans celebrate after a USC Trojans touchdown against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the second quarter at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

The Coliseum Crowd

USC consistently tops the Pac-12 in attendance at football games, but that may not matter when it comes to the home opener against Utah State, which may be the lowest attended in years.

In 2015, USC’s lowest attended home game was against Washington, with a crowd of 63,623. Of course, that was a Thursday night match up in early October.

The Thursday night contest in 2014 against Cal drew a similar number at 64,615.