PLAYERS TO WATCH
–WR Vic Wharton III is a veteran presence and standout, especially with Kanawai Noa on the shelf, and he had four catches for a team-high 47 yards against Washington State. The Golden Bears may need a big play or two from their receiving corps to break through against the USC defense this week.
–LB Jordan Kunaszyk had the lone sack on a night against WSU quarterback Gardner Minshew. Kunaszyk has been a revelation for parts of the past two seasons for Cal, and has been a great partner in crime for veteran linebacker Evan Weaver. Kunaszyk had nine tackles, including 1.5 tackles for a loss, at Washington State.
–LB Evan Weaver had nine tackles at Washington State and a grabbed an interception for a second consecutive week. Weaver, who has seen his NFL Draft stock rise considerably this season, had a crucial pick-six interception against Washington the week before.
–K Greg Thomas did miss one field goal try against the Cougars but made the other two, including a long of 46 yards. Having a kicker with that kind of range could help Cal upset USC, Stanford and/or Colorado in the coming weeks.
SERIES HISTORY: USC leads the all-time series 70-29-5 and has won 13 straight. Cal’s last win came in 2003, when USC went 12-1 and won the Rose Bowl under coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Matt Leinart. Cal’s quarterback? Future Super Bowl champion and eventual NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “With guys going down, we’ve got others who can hop in. They’re Division I athletes, too, so they should be able to get the job done.” — Cal senior fullback Malik McMorris, on the Golden Bears’ resiliency in dealing with injuries and departures among their wide receivers.