BOULDER, Colo. — Colorado's losing streak against No. 8 Southern California started with a 46-7 loss in 1927.
Since then, the Buffaloes have dropped 16 straight to the Trojans. Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes will have their hands full trying to scheme and find ways to contain USC quarterback Caleb Williams.
The Heisman Trophy winner has thrown for 15 touchdowns with no interceptions this season. Colorado boasts its own playmaker in Shedeur Sanders, the durable QB who’s thrown for 1,410 yards and 11 TDs this season.
Colorado is looking for its first win over an AP top 10 team since 2007.
WHAT’S AT STAKE
USC beat Colorado 46-7 in 1927 and has won every meeting since, 16 straight in all.
Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes will have their hands full trying to contain quarterback Caleb Williams, the Heisman Trophy winner who has thrown for 15 touchdowns with no interceptions so far this season. Colorado's Shedeur Sanders has thrown for 1,410 yards and 11 TDs this season with one interception.
Colorado is looking for its first win over an AP top 10 team since beating No. 3 Oklahoma 27-24 in Boulder on Sept. 29, 2007. The Buffs lost 42-6 at Oregon last weekend.
The Trojans are coming off a 42-28 win at Arizona State.
KEY MATCHUP
Colorado offensive line vs. Southern Cal's pass rushers. Shedeur Sanders has been sacked 22 times so far this season. Trojans defensive end Solomon Byrd notched two sacks last weekend against the Sun Devils.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Southern Cal: WR Brenden Rice, who played at Colorado before transferring to USC. Rice’s father, Hall of Fame receiver Jerry Rice, and new Colorado coach Deion Sanders were teammates in San Francisco when the 49ers won the Super Bowl following the 1994 season. Brenden Rice is coming off a game at Arizona State where he caught seven passes for 133 yards and two TDs.
Colorado: S Trevor Woods, the team's only returning defensive starter from a year ago. Woods and the Buffaloes secondary will try to contain Williams, who threw for 268 yards and three touchdowns in a 55-17 win last season. Williams also rushed for two scores.
FACTS & FIGURES
From 2011 to 2021, the Trojans had four games where they scored 55-plus points. In 2022 and ’23, they’ve had five.
Colorado is 0-8 against Southern Cal in Boulder.
The Trojans are 8-0 in August and September under coach Lincoln Riley.
Southern Cal rides a 13-game win streak against teams unranked in the AP poll.
Southern Cal looks to begin 5-0 for the third time in four seasons.
In the Pac-12 era, Colorado is 5-38 against ranked teams, according to league research.
Colorado has 11 takeaways this season. The team had 11 all last season.
Colorado was the fourth team in FBS history to start 3-0 after dropping 11 games the season before, according to the Pac-12. The others were Minnesota (2008), South Carolina (2000), Indiana (1985). South Carolina wound up winning eight games, Minnesota seven and Indiana four.
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Colorado Buffaloes
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