What to watch for when the Arizona Wildcats visit USC

Here are three things to watch in the Arizona Wildcats’ game vs. USC in Los Angeles (Saturday, 6:30 p.m., Pac-12 Networks), plus a score prediction and some pertinent preview links:

1. TATE OF OLD?

It seems like almost every week, at least since early last season, we have begun this exercise by contemplating what Arizona quarterback Khalil Tate might be up to next. Is he healthy? Will he run? If so, how much? Say this for Tate: He keeps us guessing. Others have written that Tate never has performed well against USC. As a passer, that’s true. In three starts against the Trojans, Tate never has completed 50% of his throws. All three games ended in defeat. But to say Tate hasn’t played well against USC wouldn’t be accurate. He rushed for 161 yards and a touchdown in his only other appearance at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum and willed the Wildcats back from a 22-point third-quarter deficit. Tate rushed a career-high 26 times. Arizona tied the score at 35-all in the fourth quarter before losing 49-35. Tate left the field in tears; he wanted it that badly. Will facing the Trojans one last time in his hometown bring out that side of Tate? We’ll see.

2. USC OF OLD?

Or put another way: Is USC still ... USC? This is a strange team, even by recent standards. The Trojans lost their starting quarterback, JT Daniels, in Week 1 and already have used three QBs (who have combined to throw nine interceptions). They’re playing for a head coach, Clay Helton, whom everyone believes will be fired by season’s end, if not sooner. They upset a top-15 team, Utah, and haven’t won since. They’re allowing 197.2 rushing yards per game while gaining only 142.8. It would surprise Arizona fans if the Wildcats beat the Trojans – but it wouldn’t surprise USC fans if their team lost. These comments from Arizona defensive tackle Trevon Mason about USC were interesting to say the least: “I feel like they’re OK this year. They’re like the Cowboys – used to be something. I just feel like they can’t live up to that. The Cowboys ain’t touched the Super Bowl in forever. I don’t think I was alive.” Mason is from Arlington, Texas. His Cowboys are 3-3 – same as USC.

3. MATCHUPS ANEW

Some of the matchups in this game are fascinating. As mentioned, USC has struggled against the run. The Trojans yielded 308 rushing yards against Notre Dame last week. That would appear to be an area Arizona could exploit. However, the UA offensive line could be down two guards this week, including senior stalwart Cody Creason, who left last week’s game against Washington because of a lower-leg injury. Meanwhile, USC could be without its top three cornerbacks - and all their replacements are true freshmen. To ignore that would be foolish. Play-action passes and routes featuring double moves have to be part of the Wildcats’ game plan, right? On the other side of the ball, USC’s coaches undoubtedly saw the success Washington had running to the edges in the second half and should try to replicate that. And despite the Trojans’ prodigious talent at wide receiver, UA defensive coordinator Marcel Yates won’t hesitate to put cornerbacks Lorenzo Burns, Jace Whittaker and Christian Roland-Wallace in one-on-one situations against them.