What to watch for when the Arizona Wildcats host No. 20 USC

Here are three things to watch in the Arizona Wildcats’ long-awaited 2020 opener against No. 20 USC at Arizona Stadium (Saturday, 1:30 p.m., Fox/11), plus a score prediction and some pertinent preview links:

1. GAME ON ...

... hopefully. You can’t assume anything these days until the ball is actually kicked off. The Pac-12 season is barely two weeks old, and it’s already been a bumpy ride. Four games have been canceled. One – Cal-UCLA on Sunday morning!?! – was hastily pieced together. No one ever said this was going to be easy, and it’s unclear what next week holds. The Wildcats know that feeling. They were about an hour away from taking off for Utah last Friday when word came down that the Utes couldn’t play. And so Arizona’s endless offseason became that much longer. Well, now we’re here. We hope. The scene at Arizona Stadium won’t be like anything any of us has experienced before. The crowd will consist of cardboard cutouts and a few hundred of the players’ family members and guests. There will be no tailgating. There will be no ZonaZoo. It’s an unfortunate reality for the thousands of loyal UA fans who live for game day. We feel your pain. But at least football will be played, and that’s something to behold. It’s been a minute.

2. GRANT’S GUN

OK, let’s shift gears to the actual ballgame, which marks the unofficial beginning of the Grant Gunnell Era. It’s been surprising to see how much Arizona has hyped Gunnell – especially when you recall how the school downplayed Khalil Tate’s Heisman hopes in 2018. Perhaps it’s a reflection of just how important Gunnell is to the immediate future of the program. This might be hyperbolic, but it isn’t a stretch to say Kevin Sumlin’s fate rests on Gunnell’s right shoulder. The offense will have to perform at an extremely high level for the Wildcats to be competitive against the Trojans, or anyone. You couldn’t help but be impressed with how Gunnell performed as a freshman. The circumstances weren’t ideal. Yet he rarely, if ever, looked overwhelmed. And he should be significantly improved this year, both physically and mentally. Gunnell worked diligently in the offseason to improve his arm strength, and it was noticeable during the brief glimpses we got to see of the Cats during fall camp. He’s had an abundance of time to watch film, whether that’s of himself or Arizona’s opponents. It’s time to see how it all unfolds.

3. NEW GUYS

Aren’t you curious to check out the new Wildcats? The cast is basically the same on offense, although we’ll see a lot more of receiver Boobie Curry and left tackle Jordan Morgan. Defense is where it really gets interesting. If the depth chart rings true, only four players who started six or more games last season will start against USC. The entire defensive line is new, and it features a pair of graduate transfers, Aaron Blackwell and Roy Lopez, who have earned rave reviews from coaches and teammates. The bits and pieces we got to see of fall camp provided little information on new linebackers Derick Mourning and Kwabena Watson, although both look the part. Sophomore Jaxen Turner is slated to start at strong safety, in something of a surprise, over Christian Young. Don’t be surprised to see a heavy dose of nickel defense, though, against the Trojans’ version of the Air Raid offense. Paul Rhoads’ base scheme is a 3-4, but Arizona has to try to match up against USC’s deep, talented receiving corps – while also keeping the run game in check. It’ll be a chess match all afternoon long – a welcome distraction for 3½ hours on a glorious Saturday afternoon in Tucson.