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Fresno State is a completely different team that faced USC in the Las Vegas Bowl last year. Gone are 70 percent of its offense and also five players who are in the NFL from the squad. The Bulldogs do have possibly the best defender on the field in safety Derron Smith, and that is including even those on the USC side.
The Trojans have a new man roaming the sideline from that Las Vegas Bowl game as Steve Sarkisian is back in Los Angeles after spending a few years coaching in the Pacific Northwest at Washington.
USC has had a few issues of their own with running backs Tre Madden (injury) and Anthony Brown (left team) out for the game, but it should be noted those two were at the bottom of the depth chart. Then there is cornerback Josh Shaw who is injured but his situation is odd since he lied about what really happened, and he is not playing.
The spotlight is on Fresno State in Los Angeles and this is the marquee game for the Mountain West on Saturday, so time to see if the Bulldogs can show up and make some noise.
WHEN: Saturday, August 30, 7:30 p.m. ET
WHERE: Los Angeles Coliseum
TV: FOX
WEB STREAMING: FOX Sports Go
RADIO: National: ESN Radio, Fresno State: ESPN 940 AM, USC: ESPNLA 710
ODDS: USC favored by 17-22 points, it varies