Saturday night’s game between with the USC Trojans and Fresno State Bulldogs was supposed to be a joyful time for the Trojans, celebrating the return of former Trojans’ offensive coordinator and Washington Huskies’ head coach Steve Sarkisian.
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Instead, most of the focus will be on senior defensive back Josh Shaw. Shaw injured his ankles and told his coaches and teammates that he was hurt jumping off of a balcony to save a drowning family member. As the facts began to come out, many questioned Shaw’s story, he soon admitted he lied and has subsequently been suspended.
Even with the drama surrounding Shaw, Sarkisian’s squad returns 18 starters, including quarterback Cody Kessler so expectations are very high. The Trojans are expected to contend for a Pac-12 title and have been slated just behind the rival UCLA Bruins in the Pac-12 South. Kessler started all 14 games for the Trojans last season, leading them to a 10-4 record. With a budding star at wide receiver in Nelson Agholor, Kessler could be in for a big season. The Trojans also return one of the country’s elite defenders in defensive lineman Leonard Williams.
The Bulldogs will have the difficult task of replacing quarterback Derek Carr and both Brian Burrell and or Duke Blue Devils transfer Brandon Connette will likely see time on Saturday.
These two teams met in the Las Vegas Bowl in December and the Trojans came away with a 45-20 victory.
Here’s how you can watch all the action live on Saturday as college football’s opening weekend continues.
Date: August 30
Start Time: 7:30 PM ET
Location: Los Angeles, California
Stadium: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
TV Info: FOX
Live Stream: FOX
Radio: For USC radio, click here. For Fresno State radio, click here.
Who do you think will get the win in this one? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.