UCLA and Notre Dame both wanted to run the ball with consistent success against USC. This would have allowed the Bruins and the Fighting Irish to control the ball, drain the clock, and keep Caleb Williams off the field.
Yet, what happened in these two games? Austin Jones of USC was the rusher who thrived. He topped 100 yards in both games. USC held Zach Charbonnet under 100 yards against UCLA, and it held Audric Estime under 100 yards against Notre Dame.
Alex Grinch isn’t solving every problem for this USC defense, but the run defense — so obviously substandard in the first half of the season — has become solid and relatively consistent in the second half of the season.
As USC prepares to face a Utah team without Tavion Thomas, it’s hard to deny the idea that the Trojans need to focus on stopping the Cam Rising-Dalton Kincaid pitch-and-catch combination. They combined for 16 targets, 16 catches, and 234 yards on Oct. 15 against USC. Stop Cam Rising, contain Dalton Kincaid, win the game.
The team at The Voice of College Football discussed USC’s run defense. Be sure to catch the USC postgame show at The Voice of College Football after Friday night’s Pac-12 Championship Game.
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