USC hosts Arizona with Pac-12 South lead at stake

USC coach Clay Helton chortled at his analogy.
“It feels almost like the playoffs,” Helton said in reference to the Trojans’ critical Pac-12 South contest against No. 23 Arizona on Saturday.
Helton dubbed it the second round, while a victory at Arizona State the previous week marked the first round.
The stakes are similar.
When USC and Arizona meet at the Coliseum, the winner will emerge as the clear-cut favorite to win the division and move on to the Pac-12 championship game.