USC vs. Utah: Khaled Holmes, Morgan Breslin will be key for Trojans

As the No. 13 USC Trojans get prepared for the meeting with the Utah Utes Thursday night, it could all come down to who wins the battle in the trenches at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City.

The matchup of offensive lineman Khaled Holmes against Utah's best defender in Star Lotulelei will be one of the keys of the game, as explained by Conquest Chronicles:

Defensive tackle Star Lotulelei is Utah's best player on defense, wreaking havoc game-to-game. This will be the biggest point of concern for the offensive line, particularly if [Khaled] Holmes' re-sprained ankle causes problems. As we've all learned: keeping Matt Barkley upright means good things for the Trojan offense. Hopefully, the O-line will be able to.

Furthermore, lineman Morgan Breslin will be going against a freshman from Utah, which could also be advantageous for the Trojans. Once again, CC with the commentary:

Morgan Breslin will be lined up against said freshman right tackle. More red may be on the field than the Utes' primary color. In case you missed the unreported assault on Zach Maynard two Saturdays ago, the USC D-line was awesome. Just magnificent. Another strong game against Jordan Wynn will turn the supposed weakest part of the team in fall camp to an undeniable strength.

Utah already has a win over a top-25 opponent this season after taking out the then No. 25 BYU Cougars 24-21 on Sept. 15. USC on the other hand is well rested and is out to prove their loss to Stanford was simply a blip on their radar.

Kickoff for this game is set for 6 p.m. PT with coverage on ESPN and ESPN3.