Preview: Unbeaten Cougs host USC in Friday night battle at Martin Stadium
What: No. 5 USC (4-0, 2-0) at No. 16 Washington State (4-0, 1-0)
Where: Martin Stadium (32,952), Pullman, Wash.
When: Friday, Sept. 29, 7:30 p.m. PT
TV/Radio: ESPN (Adam Amin, Dusty Dvoracek, Molly McGrath); Washington State IMG Sports Network (Matt Chazanow, Jason Gesser, Bob Robertson, Jessamyn McIntyre).
Friday night frenzy will be in full force when No. 16 Washington State closes out its season-opening five-game homestand against No. 5 USC at Martin Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. on ESPN.
SERIES HISTORY: USC leads the all-time series with Washington State, 59-9-4, and will face each other for the first time since 2014, a 44-17 Trojan win in Pullman. The Cougars posted a 10-7 win in Los Angeles in 2013. Mike Leach is 1-1 against the Trojans. In Pullman, USC owns a 14-3-2 record with wins in the last five matchups. WSU’s last win over USC in Martin Stadium came in 2002, 30-27 in overtime. WSU will be looking for its first win over a Top-5 team since beating No. 5 Texas, 28-20, in the 2003 Holiday Bowl and first win over a Top 5 team in the regular season since beating No. 5 Washington, 42-23, in 1992.
PREMIER QUARTERBACK DUEL: Friday’s night matchup features one of the top quarterback duels we’ll see all season long. Both Washington State QB Luke Falk and USC sophomore QB Sam Darnold are two of the top signal callers in the country. Falk is second in the Pac-12 behind UCLA’s Josh Rosen in passing yards per game (344.5) and total offense per game (334.2). Falk is also second in passing efficiency (171.6 rating) behind UW’s Jake Browning with an impressive TD pass-to-INT ratio of 14-to-1.
Falk has the second most passing yards of any conference QB (1,378 yards). Darnold has thrown 9 TD passes, but also a Pac-12 high 7 interceptions. Both quarterbacks have completed more than 67 percent of their passes so far this season. Falk’s completion percentage is a staggering 76.9 percent (130-169). He is averaging less than 10 incompletions per game. Darnold has thrown for at least 200 yards in the past 14 games (6 times in his career over 300 yards) and thrown at least 3 TD passes in a game 7 times in his career.
THIRD DOWN WILL BE KEY: Washington State (56.7 percent) and USC (51.8) are first and second, respectively, in the Pac-12 in third down conversion percentage. Trojans head coach Clay Helton views that statistic as one of the determining factors in the game. In short, he feel whichever team wins the third down battle will have taken a major step towards winning the game. USC spent Tuesday’s practice focusing on third down, offensively and defensively.
“You’re looking at the number one and number two offenses in third down efficiency,” Helton said. “One of the big keys for us is getting to the quarterback with either a 4, 5 or 6 man rush. That pressure has created a lot of interceptions and batted balls the past two weeks.”
Washington State’s third down conversion percentage defense is 30.2 percent, a significant 26.5 percent gap with third down conversion percentage offense. USC is allowing opponents to convert on third down at a 34.4 percent clip.
FALK BY THE NUMBERS: Falk is the nation’s career active leader in passing yards (12,271) and passing touchdowns (103), while his 350.6 passing yards per game average is currently fifth-best in NCAA FBS history.
“He studies relentlessly and constantly works,” Leach said. “He’s getting better on his timing with our young receivers. We have some fast and promising guys that haven’t played a lot. Luke is a tireless worker. He is always working on something football-related.”
-- Owns WSU record for career passing yards (12,271);
-- Owns WSU record for total offense (11,977);
-- Needs 1,330 passing yards to break Sean Mannion’s (OSU) Pac-12 passing record (13,600);
-- Career completions (1,177) are second-most in Pac-12 history, trailing OSU’s Sean Mannion (1,187);
-- Owns WSU record for touchdown passes (103), 3rd-most in Pac-12 history;
-- His 76.9 completion percentage this season is tied for first in the nation (Kyle Allen, Houston)
-- His career completion percentage (69.6) in second among active NCAA QB’s (Baker Mayfield, 70.1);
-- Most career 300-yard games in WSU history (26), including 11 400-yard efforts;
-- He needs 14 TD passes to break Matt Barkley’s (USC) Pac-12 record of 116;
-- Falk’s 14 touchdown passes in 2017 are second in the country (Rosen, UCLA).
DEFENSE REIGNS: WSU enters the USC game leading the Pac-12 in total defense (262.2 yards per game), passing defense (142.2), total tackles-for-loss (33), good for eighth-most in the country, and fewest first downs allowed (60 in 4 games). But the Trojans possess a stout defense, as well. In last weekend’s 30-20 victory over Cal in Berkley, the Trojans had four interceptions, two fumble recoveries, three sacks and 6.0 tackles for loss in a strong defensive effort.
Entering Week 5, USC is tied for second in the Pac-12 with 11 takeaways in 4 games. Trojans linebacker Cameron Smith leads the Pac-12 in assisted tackles with 24 and is tied for fourth at 8.8 tackles per game. “They are really quick and athletic,” Leach said. “They have experience. They are playing together better.”
How will USC defend the Air Raid? Trojans defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast could opt to employ six defensive backs on the field at one time like he did against Cal last week. It worked last Saturday, but will it work on Friday night against a much-more experienced quarterback in Luke Falk. Helton explained USC’s four-man rush has to get to the quarterback like it did last week at Cal. If it doesn’t Falk could pick the USC defense apart.
“I see a very tall, athletic quarterback that's got a big arm," Pendergast said about Falk. "He sees the field well and he doesn't lock in on his first read. He looks through his whole progression and does a nice job distributing the ball to all parts of the field."
MATA’AFA MAGIC: DL Hercules Mata’afa has 32.5 career tackles for loss and 16.5 career sacks. He is the active Pac-12 leader in both categories. Here are the statistical leaders for the WSU defense going into Week 5:
Tackles: Isaac Dotson (26)
Tackles For Loss: Hercules Mata’afa (8.0)
Sacks: Hercules Mata’afa (4.5)
Interceptions: Jalen Thompson (3)
Pass Breakups: Jalen Thompson (2)
QB Hurries: Nnamdi Oguayo, Hercules Mata’afa (4)
Fumble Recoveries: Frankie Luvu (2)
Forced Fumbles: Marcellus Pippins (2)
NOTES
-- Washington State has opened the season 4-0 for the first time since 2002. The Cougars’ No. 16 ranking is its highest since finishing the 2003 season No. 9.
-- WSU has scored 3 defensive touchdowns this season, tied for 2nd-most in FBS and the most by the Cougars since 2013 (5). WSU is 16-3when forcing multiple turnovers under defensive coordinator Alex Grinch.
-- Washington State has had 25 players make their debuts this season. Nineteen (19) freshmen have made their first career appearances, including six true freshmen - Jamire Calvin (WR), George Hicks III (CB), Tay Martin (WR), Zaire Webb (ST), Dominick Silvels (LB) and Will Rodgers III (DL).
-- Through four games, Washington State running backs have combined for nine total touchdowns, 403 rushing yards, 410 receiving yards (59 rec) and 863 yards of total offense. Jamal Morrow owns the WSU record for receptions by a running back (155), also good for 10th-most by any player in WSU history. Morrow also has 3,429 career all-purpose yards, seventh-most in WSU history. James Williams enters Week 4 with a Pac-12-best 37 receptions, third-most in the country.
-- Tavares Martin Jr. had 114 receiving yards and two TDs in the win over Nevada, his second straight 100-yard receiving game. His 5 touchdown catches in the last two games are the most since Gabe Marks also grabbed five in 2015 in back-to-back games (4 at Arizona, 1 vs. Stanford). Martin Jr. has six touchdown catches in 2017, third-most in the country.
-- USC pumped in crowd noise during practice this week as they prepare for the expected raucous atmosphere Friday night in Pullman. "I expect it to be crazy. If they sell it out, I don't know how much it seats, but a sellout can get loud anywhere," said USC senior captain Chris Hawkins. "It's going to be a crazy atmosphere. I'm expecting a nice show."
WASHINGTON STATE DEPTH CHART
OFFENSE
QB – Luke Falk (Hilinski)
RB – Jamal Morrow OR James Williams (Wicks OR Harrington)
X WR – Tavares Martin Jr. (Dimry, Tay Martin)
Y WR – Kyle Sweet (Calvin)
H WR – Renard Bell (Arconado)
Z WR – Isaiah Johnson-Mack (Patmon)
LT – Andre Dillard (Ryan)
LG – Cody O’Connell (Bigge-Duren)
C – Fred Mauigoa (Osur-Meyers)
RG – B.J. Salmonson (Valencia)
RT – Cole Madison (Watson)
DEFENSE
DE – Nnamdi Oguayo (Moore)
NT – Daniel Ekuale (McBroom)
DT – Hercules Mata’afa (Tago OR Fernandez)
RUSH – Frankie Luvu OR Dylan Hanser OR Chima Onyeukwu
WIL – Jahad Woods (Sherman)
MIKE – Isaac Dotson (Nate DeRider)
NICKEL – Hunter Dale OR Kirkland Parker
CB – Darrien Molton (Hicks III)
FS – Robert Taylor (Thomas)
SS – Jalen Thompson (Harper)
CB – Marcellus Pippins (Strong)
WEEK 5 PAC-12 SCHEDULE (Sept. 29-30)
Fri., Sept. 29
USC at Washington State, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Sat., Sept. 30
Arizona State at Stanford, 1 p.m. (Pac-12 Network)
Washington at Oregon State, 5 p.m. (Pac-12 Network)
California at Oregon, 7:30 p.m. (FS1)
Colorado at UCLA, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
(All Times Pacific)
Byes: Utah, Arizona
Pac-12 North Standings (After Week 4)
Washington State 1-0
Washington 1-0
Stanford 1-1
California 0-1
Oregon 0-1
Oregon State 0-1