Game History: Alabama leads the all-time series 6-2. The Crimson Tide won the previous meeting 52-6 in the 2016 season opener in Dallas.
2019 Team Stats: 8-5 (7-2) Pac-12, lost to Iowa 49-24 in the Holiday Bowl.
PPG: 32.5
PAPG: 29.4
RYPG: 118.2 (3.9 YPC)
PYPG: 335.8 (71.0 PCT)
SKS allowed: 28
TO DIFF: -10
RYPG allowed: 162.3 (4.5)
PYPG allowed: 246.2 (61.1 PCT)
SKS: 35
Offensive Impact Player: QB Kedon Slovis (#9)
2019 stats: 3,502 YDS, 71.9 PCT, 30 TD, 9 INT
Another USC quarterback emerges with Heisman aspirations. Kedon Slovis was the No. 2 quarterback entering the 2019 season, but after starter JT Daniels went down with a season-ending knee injury in the first game of the year, Slovis put together an electric season. Named the 2019 Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year, Slovis is one of the top returning quarterbacks, if not the best quarterback, in the Pac-12. He set a conference season record in completion percentage, breaking Andrew Luck’s 71.3% mark. Considering he had nearly 400 passing attempts, his completion percentage is remarkably high, evidence of pinpoint accuracy. It was a stellar freshman year, but what is the ceiling for Slovis in 2020?
Defensive Impact Player: S Talanoa Hufanga (#15)
2019 stats: 90 TKL, 7.5 TFL, 3.5 SKS, 3 PBU, 2 FF
A 2019 All-Pac-12 second-team selection, Hufanga was second on the team in tackles, but he played in only 10 games, finishing 14 tackles shy of John Houston Jr. Primarily a starter at strong safety, Hufanga gets involved in stopping the run. His ability to tackle on the perimeter will be important as Alabama likes to spread the football from boundary to boundary, including to running back Najee Harris.
Offensive Key Unit: Wide-receivers
Three of the Trojans top-four receivers return in the unit, despite losing their top pass catcher in Michael Pittman Jr. Leading the returners is 1,000-yard receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, who had 77 receptions and six touchdowns. With Pittman Jr. gone, St. Brown is the No. 1 wide-receiver, so expect his touchdowns to increase. St. Brown isn’t the only dangerous receiver back in Los Angeles. Tyler Vaughns had over 900 receiving yards last season, and he was third on the team in yards. Across St. Brown and Vaughns, USC has 1,954 yards and 12 touchdowns coming back from those two players, not to mention the supporting cast around them. USC has luxuries at wide-receiver that most teams dream about.
Defensive Key Unit: Defensive line
Three players return on the Trojan defensive line, and they all know how to get in the backfield. Across Jay Tufele, Drake Jackson, Marlon Tuipulotu, USC brings back 134 tackles, 24 tackles for loss and 12 sacks. USC was good at getting after the passer in 2019 with 35 sacks, and with this group returning, you believe that there will be more of the same in 2020. In the first game of the season, it will be fun to see them match up with Alabama’s offensive line, giving us an idea of just how good this group may be.
