USC vs. UCLA 2017: Prediction, Betting Odds, Preview For Football Rivalry

No. 11 USC (9-2) remains in the Rose Bowl hunt when they face crosstown rival UCLA (5-5) on Saturday night at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The matchup features among the two best quarterbacks in the nation.

Sam Darnold of USC and Josh Rosen of UCLA are not in the Heisman Trophy race, but they are considered top NFL prospects. ESPN's Todd McShay recently listed Darnold as the No. 1 overall pick in his mock draft, while Mel Kiper Jr. listed Rosen as the top quarterback in the draft.

Darnold has completed 63.4 percent of his passes, while throwing 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions for a 148.5 quarterback rating. Rosen has completed 62.2 percent of his passes, while throwing 21 touchdown and nine interceptions for a 143.9 quarterback rating.

The two playmakers are a bit of a contrast. Rosen uses his excellent precision to lead the offense, while Darnold often relies on his athleticism to make big plays.

The two offenses, meanwhile, have posted similar statistics. USC has averaged 495.1 yards per game, while UCLA has averaged 462.5. The scoring has been even closer, with USC averaging 35.5 points per game, while UCLA has averaged 35.2.

Bruins tailback Bolu Olorunfunmi has been a solid contributor for Jim Mora's offense, rushing for five touchdowns and averaging 5.4 yards per carry. But the Trojans boast one of the best running backs in the nation, as Ronald Jones has rushed for 14 touchdowns and 1,227 yards. USC head coach Clay Helton is expected to give plenty of handoffs to Jones and look to exploit an inconsistent UCLA rush defense.

The Bruins are expected to play with added motivation as a potential bowl game is in the balance. UCLA has often looked better than their 5-5 record suggests after some impressive efforts to start the season. In the season opener, UCLA overcame a 22-point deficit to defeat Texas A&M and two weeks later lost by just three points on the road against Memphis — a team that is currently 8-1 and ranked No. 21 in the nation.

The upcoming matchup may not end with a close score. The rivalry hasn't been decided by one score since 2006, when UCLA knocked USC out of the Bowl Championship Series title game, 13-9.

The Trojans are seeking their third-straight win over the Bruins after UCLA had defeated USC in 2012, 2013 and 2014.​

Betting Line: USC by 16

Over/Under: 71.5

Prediction: USC over UCLA, 41-23