USC Trojans vs. Washington Huskies 3 Keys to Victory: Feed Woody Marks – Sports Illustrated

The USC Trojans travel to Washington for a big road matchup against the Huskies on Saturday afternoon. After snapping a three-game losing streak with a win over Rutgers on Oct. 26, USC looks to keep the momentum going heading into Seattle. The Trojans are also looking for their first conference win on the road as they are currently 0-3 on the road.

When the Trojans beat Rutgers, USC scored more than 40 points for the first time since a 48-0 win over Utah State on Sept. 7. They scored 14 points in each of the first three quarters as USC’s offense ran the majority of the game. USC has failed to score consistently throughout its three-game losing streak. If the Trojans can continue to score at a high rate, they should be able to keep up with Washington’s struggling offense. The Huskies had just 16 and 17 points in their two losses to Indiana and Iowa.

USC running back Woody Marks erupted during the Trojans’ three-game losing streak. In the win against Rutgers, Marks rushed for 94 yards and three touchdowns while receiving 48 receiving yards. It was one of his best performances of the season, even though he didn’t break 100 yards on the ground. He has quietly blossomed as the Trojans’ best weapon on offense this season after transferring from Mississippi State in the offseason. Marks leads the team in receptions with 30 and has 234 receiving yards. USC must find a way to continue to keep the ball in Marks’ hands if they want to find success on offense.

In each of the Trojans’ three road losses to Big Ten opponents, USC had an opportunity to seal the game with a late second-half lead. If the Huskies keep the game close in the second half, USC shouldn’t let another conference game slip away. USC coach Lincoln Riley needs to learn from his past mistakes this season and clean up the call errors that have plagued the Trojans in late game situations. On the other hand, USC can find themselves comfortably in the driver’s seat during the game and don’t need to worry about finishing the game.