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No. 22 USC and Texas both need win to keep season on course
No. 22 USC (1-1) at Texas (1-1), 8 p.m. ET (Fox).
Line: Texas by 3½.
Series record: USC leads 5-1.
WHAT'S AT STAKE?
A game once billed as a blockbuster is now more about survival. Both teams need a big win to launch their season and keep the fans from pushing the panic button early in the schedule. A road win at Texas would be big boost for Trojans freshman QB J.T. Daniels. Second-year Texas coach Tom Herman needs a victory to keep impatient Longhorns fans off his back.
KEY MATCHUP
Texas wide receivers Collin Johnson and Lil'Jordan Humphrey against the Trojan's depleted secondary. Johnson had seven catches for 191 yards against USC last season. The Trojans are extremely thin at safety after injuries and attrition and Texas will look to test them deep often.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
USC: Daniels. His first road start was a dud in a loss at Stanford as the offense managed just a field goal. The pressure's on for a big response in another primetime matchup against a Texas defense that will try to bring pressure from all directions.
Texas: QB Sam Ehlinger. Turnovers continue to plague the sophomore and he needs to clean it up. Ehlinger worked on better ball protection in the offseason, but he's thrown two interceptions and fumbled in the first two games.
FACTS & FIGURES
USC doesn't count the epic 2006 Rose Bowl loss to Texas in its tally of the all-time series. The Trojans say they are 5-0 against the Longhorns and call BCS-championship Rose Bowl game "vacated" due to an NCAA penalty against USC ... Texas likely won't have emerging freshman RB Keaontay Ingram because of a knee injury last week against Tulsa. He was Texas' most explosive rusher the first two games ...Texas is going for program win No. 900, to join Michigan and Ohio State as the only schools to reach that mark.
