Three questions heading into Colorado's matchup with USC

BOULDER — The Colorado Buffaloes are a 12-point underdog against the USC Trojans Friday night, and for good reason. USC looks like the eventual Pac-12 South champion and the Buffs have been outscored 86-13 in their last two outings.Factor in that Colorado is 0-13 all-time against the Trojans and you have the makings for what could be a thrid-consecutive blowout loss for the Buffs.

Or, a massive upset that would be the biggest feather in first-year head coach Mel Tucker’s cap so far. Don’t forget: The Trojans are unbeaten at home but winless on the road this season.

There is a glimmer of hope.

Here are the questions that will be answered Friday night at Folsom Field:

Who’s even playing?

The injuries are piling up for both sides and it’s tough to believe anybody has been able to keep up with all of them.

The most important injury is to USC’s quarterback, J.T. Daniels, but true freshman Kedon Slovis has looked strong in his five games under center. He’s completed nearly 75 percent of his passes, with nine touchdowns and four intereceptions. His 8.7 yards per attempt are the second-most in the Pac-12 this season.

Outside of Daniels, USC is also missing a slew of other starters. The injuries to their running backs were so deep that the Trojans flipped a wide receiver to running back when there was only one left on scholarship. But that doesn’t mean they can’t run the ball.

True freshman Kenan Christon broke out in his first collegiate action. The speedster — who won the California state 100 meter high school championship the spring — broke out for touchdown runs of 55 and 30 yards. He only carried the ball eight times.

There are big names out across the USC defense as well but, like at running back, there is plenty of talent to fill in behind those who are sidelined.

For Colorado, things may be starting to look up. After injuries ripped apart the Buffs’ lineup on both sides of the ball for multiple weeks, the dust has begun to settle.

Nearly everybody expected to return this season has returned. Defensive tackle Jalen Sami is still day-to-day with a knee injury. Backup quarterback Tyler Lytle is day-to-day with a shoulder injury.

The rest, including cornerbacks Mekhi Blackmon and Chris Miller, likely won’t return until the 2020 campaign.

Can the Buffs’ defensive backs slow down the best receiving corps in the Pac-12?

Speaking of cornerbacks, the Buffs’ could be in trouble Friday night.

The clear strength of this USC squad is its talent and depth at receiver. Its depth chart goes 16 deep at the position this week and you’d be hard-pressed to find one who isn’t bigger, stronger and faster than the defensive back Colorado will line up across from him.

It all starts with Michael Pittman, son of the former NFL running back of the same name. Over his four years at USC, the senior has lived up to his eighth-in-the-country recruiting ranking. In seven games this season, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound receiver has caught 43 passes for 599 yards and five touchdowns.

Behind him sits freshman wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, son of two-time Mr. Universe John Brown and brother of Green Bay Packer Equanimeous St. Brown. In his first year, St. Brown has lived up to his second-in-the-country recruiting ranking. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound receiver has caught 16 passes for 377 yards and four touchdowns.

What he lacks in terms of famously athletic fathers, junior wideout Tyler Vaughns makes up for in being very good at football. He was also ranked the second-best receiver in his recruiting class and he is also a very large man. So far this year, he’s caught 42 passes for 534 yards and four touchdowns.

The list keeps going beyond these three, but you get the point.

Colorado, on the other hand, will start senior Delrick Abrams alongside freshman K.J. Trujillo with fellow freshman Tarik Luckett serving as the third corner. The Buffs have no other cornerbacks listed on this week’s depth chart.

Which Steven Montez shows up?

This is the question that will decide whether Colorado can make Friday’s matchup competitive.

Montez has looked like a first-day NFL draft pick at his peak and like the worst quarterback in the Pac-12 at his rock-bottom.

There is plenty that factors into a quarterback’s performance; the offensive line, the receivers, the running game, the play-calling, whether he’s forced to throw himself out of a deficit the team dug for him, etc.

But after two down weeks, it may be as simple as this: Steven Montez needs to step up.

And the first step is actually literal. Montez needs to step up in the pocket. When his feet are under control and he stands confidently in the pocket, he can run the system the way it’s supposed to be run and be the engine of an offensive machine. When he panics and runs around outside the pocket, things often get ugly.

There isn’t much more to say about Montez than, he just needs to play better this week.

Colorado will host USC at Folsom Field in Boulder at 7 p.m. Friday. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2.