USC head coach Lane Kiffin hopes -- needs? -- his Trojan to get back to winning ways against Cal.(US Presswire)

Cal (1-2, 0-0 Pac-12) at No. 13 USC  (2-1, 0-1 Pac-12)

Kickoff: Saturday, 6 p.m. ET (Pac-12 Network)

Spread: USC by 16

Watchability: A little more, given the situation in which USC finds itself. Coming off a surprising loss at Stanford, the Trojans should be bloodthirsty, and now they find themselves hosting a Cal team that pushed Ohio State.

Shining stars: USC: Coming off arguably his worst game as USC quarterback, Matt Barkley gets his first chance to rekindle his Heisman hopes. They could be completely dashed, but another six-touchdown game will start some chatter. Cal: He's not off to the start that most expected, but wideout Keenan Allen has provided in other ways for the Bears. He's averaging 72 yards per game receiving, but his 17-plus yards per punt return rank second in the conference.

Who could steal the show: USC: On a defense filled with future pros, DE Morgan Breslin has been a revelation. The junior college transfer has been the biggest difference-maker for the Trojans with two sacks and five tackles for loss. Cal: At this point RB Brendan Bigelow isn't exactly a secret. His explosiveness was on full display at Ohio State, particularly on his spectacular twisting touchdown run.

You going? Ranking the road trip: Not a bad way to spend an afternoon in Los Angeles, despite the heat. It might be even hotter for Lane Kiffin, whose Trojans are coming off their fourth straight loss to Stanford.

Magic number for USC: 202. Facing a power running attack in Stanford, the USC defense allowed 202 yards -- while gaining just 26 rushing yards on offense. The Bears bring a solid one-two punch in RBs Isi Sofele and Bigelow.

Magic number for Cal: 103. Talk about an ideal team for Barkley to get back on track against. The Bears rank 103rd nationally in pass efficiency against at 148.76.

This game comes down to: The USC offensive line. The embattled front struggled mightily against Stanford. It will need to bounce back in a big way against the Bears.

Eye on College Football's take: Both teams suffered close, tough losses on the road last week and each will undoubtedly look to rebound with this conference game. Cal saw a breakout game by running back Brendan Bigelow against Ohio State and he figures to get an increased workload against a defense that was gashed on the ground. USC is hoping to leave the horrors of Palo Alto behind them and fix their protection problems in order to give Matt Barkley time to throw to the most dangerous combination of receivers in the country. This is likely USC's game to lose unless they become one dimensional once again and allow a few big plays to the Cal offense with a few dangerous weapons.

Prediction: USC 37, Cal 24

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