I am the first to admit that I did not give the Bears much of a chance against the Rose Bowl-champion (...ugh..) Trojans prior to the start of the season. Yet, here we are. Cal is surging after a fulfilling, albeit flawed, victory over an SEC opponent, USC is reeling after an unexpected nail-biter against the Longhorns, and the fans in Berkeley want this more than ever.
Let’s take a look at the Southern California defense and how the Bears match up.
2017 Defensive Highlights (To-Date):
Previous Opponents: Western Michigan (49-31), Stanfurd (42-24), Texas (27-24, 2OT)
Total Yards Allowed: 1,065 (501 rush, 564 pass)
Sacks: 6 (45 yards)
Interceptions: 3 (37 yards)
The fact that USC needed two overtimes in last week’s win against Texas was not, on average, a direct result of poor defensive play.