Free Live Odds - Scores and Odds - Sports News - Sports Information - Live Scores - Sports Statistics - Sports Articles - Sports Standings - Live Scor

FACTS & STATS: Site: Los Angeles Coliseum (93,607) -- Los Angeles, California. Television: Versus. Home Record: Utah 1-0, USC 1-0. Away Record: Utah 0-0, USC 0-0. Neutral Record: Utah 0-0, USC 0-0. Conference Record: Utah 0-0, USC 0-0. Series Record: USC leads, 6-3.

GAME NOTES: The first-ever Pac-12 Conference game takes place in Los Angeles this Saturday, as the 25th-ranked USC Trojans play host to the Utah Utes.

Utah, which made the jump from the Mountain West Conference where it became one of the winningest programs in all of college football over the last decade, is 1-0 on the young season thanks to a 27-10 win over FCS foe Montana State in last week's opener. The Utes claimed their fourth consecutive season- opening win, and they are 97-39 since 2000, having won 24 league championships in five different conferences during their history. Overall, they have won nearly 60 percent of their total games (616-423-31).

The Utes are currently coached by Kyle Whittingham, and his six years at the helm have resulted in a 58-20 record with five bowl appearances. Utah is an impressive 12-4 (.750) in bowl games, and its .750 winning percentage is the highest in the nation among teams that have made ten or more postseason appearances. The Utes, who won nine straight bowl games before losing to Boise State in last year's Maaco Bowl, have played in two BCS games (2005 Fiesta Bowl and 2009 Sugar Bowl), winning both, and they were the first team from a conference without an automatic bid to play in a BCS bowl.

USC kicked off the 2011 season last Saturday at home against Minnesota, and had to hold off a furious second-half comeback by the Golden Gophers to earn a 19-17 victory. It was the 14th straight season-opening triumph for the Trojans, who came into the campaign knowing they are ineligible to play for the inaugural Pac-12 championship, or participate in a bowl game due to NCAA sanctions.

The win over Minnesota was USC's 12th straight over a Big Ten Conference opponent, and coach Lane Kiffin's club comes into this contest hoping to extend their series lead over Utah to 7-3. The last meeting between the two took place in the 2001 Las Vegas Bowl, and resulted in the lowest scoring game ever in that event, 10-6.

The last time USC began play in a new league was in 1978 when the Pac-8 added Arizona and Arizona State to become the Pac-10.

It wasn't a dominant performance but Utah certainly did enough to earn a relatively easy win in last week's season opener against Montana State. RB John White rushed for 150 yards and two TDs in his first game in a Ute uniform, the team amassing a total of 191 yards on the ground. QB Jordan Wynn finished 15-of-23 for 101 yards and two scores, but at just 4.4 yards per pass attempt, there is obviously room for improvement.

The Utah defense certainly did its job in limiting the Bobcats' effectiveness on offense, yielding a mere 75 rushing yards and only 258 total yards in the game. LB Brian Blechen picked off a pair of passes for the Utes, who also got a 10-tackle performance from LB Chaz Walker.

It wasn't pretty but USC got the job done in its opener, as QB Matt Barkley completed a school-record 34 passes for 304 yards and three TDs, all of which went to WR Robert Woods, who established a new school record as well. Woods wound up with a whopping 17 catches for 177 yards as the Minnesota defense could do little to stop the 6-1, 180-pound sophomore from having his way down the field. Freshman RB D.J. Morgan generated 70 yards on the ground, but the Trojans averaged just 2.4 yards per carry so getting better production in the run game will be paramount to the team's overall success this year.

The USC defense did a decent job in the narrow victory, allowing just three points in the first half. The Golden Gophers made it interesting with a pair of second-half TDs, but the Trojans permitted just 192 passing yards to a team that needed to throw the ball in an attempt to mount its comeback. Troy was credited with eight TFL, including three sacks, and CB Torin Harris came up with the team's lone turnover (INT).

Neither team lit it up in week one, but with this being the first Pac-12 game ever played, expect both to show a little more emotion. Can Utah interrupt the Barkley to Woods connection? We shall see, but more importantly, the Utes need to get their own passing game going in an effort to keep opposing defenses honest. USC has the obvious advantage of playing this historic game at home, so the edge goes to the Trojans.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: USC 27, Utah 20