USC’s football schedule is brutal next year. Their first bye comes after 7 games. The sequence of those game: Alabama (pseudo-neutral site in Arlington Texas), Utah State, @Stanford, @Utah, Arizona State, Colorado, @Arizona.
Playing Alabama, Utah State, and Stanford before flying to SLC for a Friday game, the schedule set up nicely for a USC team in all probability with a loss already in record books. And even if they are undefeated, there will be plenty of bruises on their squad to say the least.
Even before spring ball and real consensus on the ceiling for next years team, I think the schedule SC plays prior to a night game at SLC sets up nicely for a Utah win. (And since my birthday is that same weekend that would be a pretty spectacular gift. )