California will be in front of their home fans on Saturday, but a look at the spread shows they might need that home-field advantage. They will take on the USC Trojans at 4:00 p.m. ET on Saturday. Given that the two teams suffered a loss in their last game, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this match.
There was early excitement for California after they claimed the first score two weeks ago, but it was Utah who ended up claiming the real prize. Things couldn't have gone much worse for California as they lost 34-14 to Utah. California has now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Jaydn Ott, who gained 94 total yards and a touchdown. Another player making a difference was Taj Davis, who picked up 93 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Meanwhile, USC went for two against Utah on Saturday, and the resulting failed attempt cost them the game. USC fell just short of Utah by a score of 34-32. The matchup was a 14-14 toss-up at halftime, but USC was just barely outscored by Utah in the second.
Despite the loss, USC got a solid performance out of Caleb Williams, who threw for 256 yards on 24 of 34 attempts, and also punched in a touchdown on the ground. Calen Bullock got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
California has traveled a rocky road recently, as they've lost three of their last four matchups, which put a noticeable dent in their 3-4 record this season. As for USC, their loss ended a 11-game streak of wins at home dating back to last season and dropped them to 6-2.
Not only did the two teams lose their last games, but neither team managed to cover the spread. As for their next game, USC is the favorite in this one, as the experts expect to see them win by 11 points. Neither team has fared well against the spread this season; California is 2-5, while USC is 2-6.
California came up short against USC in their previous meeting back in November of 2022, falling 41-35. Will California have more luck at home instead of on the road?