It’s a rare midweek game for USC as the 12th-ranked Trojans (8-2, 5-2) travel to Tempe, Arizona to take on No. 7 Arizona State (9-1, 6-1) on Thanksgiving evening. (It’s the first time the Trojans are playing on Thanksgiving day in almost 70 years.) The Sun Devils currently occupy first place in the Pac-10, and they control their own postseason destiny. However, a Trojan victory on Thursday will move USC ahead of ASU in the standings. Both teams are coming off a bye week.

Arizona State has been impressive in Dennis Erickson’s first year as coach, losing just once, to then fourth-ranked Oregon at the beginning of November. The Sun Devils yield just 18 points per game (which puts them among the nation’s top defenses) while averaging over 34 on the offensive side. They are led by junior quarterback Rudy Carpenter, who is 11th in the nation in pass efficiency, and has completed over 63% of his passes with 20 touchdowns and just 8 interceptions. Tailback Keegan Herring (also a junior) is the team’s leading rusher with 775 yards on the season, ably replacing senior Ryan Torain, who is out with a foot injury.

The Trojans lead the all-time series 14-9, and have won their last seven games against the Sun Devils, including a 28-21 victory in 2006 at the Coliseum and a 38-28 triumph in Tempe two years ago. In last year’s matchup, USC blew a 21-0 first-half lead, but still managed to win when Chauncey Washington ran for the go-ahead touchdown with just over four minutes remaining in the game. In that 2005 contest in Tempe, the top-ranked Trojans were able to overcome a 21-3 halftime deficit thanks to a combined 355 yards rushing by LenDale White and Reggie Bush. The Trojans have not lost at Sun Devil Stadium since 1997.

Here is USC’s official injury report as of Sunday night:

• POSSIBLE: OT Sam Baker (hamstring), LB Keith Rivers (ankle), LB Clay Matthews (hand), C Kristofer O’Dowd (kneecap), FB-S Alfred Rowe (ankle), OT-OG Thomas Herring (knee), DE Trey Henderson (knee).
• OUT: TB C.J. Gable (abdomen), WR Travon Patterson (foot), TB Broderick Green (foot), TE Jimmy Miller (back), LB Chris Galippo (back), S-CB Josh Pinkard (knee), CB Kevin Thomas (shoulder), OT Martin Coleman (shoulder), WR Damian Williams (shoulder).

Thursday’s game starts at 5:00p PST and will be televised nationally by ESPN. The Trojans are favored by 3 1/2 points.

More stats and articles for each team: TrojanUpdate’s Game Preview: USC-ASU
Official game week press release (Official USC site)
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