USC vs. Arizona: key matchups and story lines for Saturday’s game

A USC victory would give the Trojans their first three-game winning streak of the season. Times staff writer Gary Klein examines the matchups and story lines:

Happy homecoming

Mike Garrett, the 1965 Heisman Trophy winner and former USC athletic director, is scheduled to be honored on the field in recognition of the 50th anniversary of his Heisman victory.

The feisty Garrett continues to have strong feelings about the NCAA, which cited USC for a “lack of institutional control” during his tenure and hit the athletic program with some of the most severe sanctions in college sports history.

Last week, Garrett told The Times’ Alex Shultz: “I’ll say this to you — we dominated college football for five to seven years. There’s a lot of people who were envious. The NCAA, the Southeastern Conference and the Big Ten, we dominated it. The penalties we had were not even close to what Miami had, Ohio State, Penn State, and they all got less penalties. Why is that so? It’s because of envy.”

At the helm

USC quarterback Cody Kessler is a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award, presented annually to college football’s top senior quarterback.

After five interceptions in three games, Kessler was back to his typically efficient self in victories against Utah and California.

He is completing 70% of his passes, 18 for touchdowns, with five interceptions.

Kessler will probably be without top receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, who had surgery Monday to repair a fractured bone in his right hand.

Arizona plays two quarterbacks, sophomore Anu Solomon and senior Jerrard Randall.

Solomon threw 232 passes without an interception until last week’s loss at Washington, when he had two passes picked off.

Randall has rushed for 85.6 yards per game and has scored five touchdowns.

Keep an eye on Randall on the first snap he plays. The Wildcats generated 39 yards or more three times. Randall’s first play from scrimmage went 72 yards against Northern Arizona, 39 against UCLA and 59 against Washington State.

Freshman sensation

Is this the game that USC turns loose freshman tailback Ronald Jones II?

Jones has flashed breakaway ability in just about every game, and interim Coach Clay Helton has said his role would continue to increase.

But senior Tre Madden and junior Justin Davis have done nothing to fall out of the rotation. Both had key runs that helped secure last week’s victory over California.

Jones has averaged 66.6 yards per game, Madden 59.7, Davis 47.9.

Arizona ranks 11th nationally and leads the Pac-12 Conference with 265 yards rushing per game, but the Wildcats reportedly will be without leading rusher Nick Wilson and two starting guards because of injuries.

Jared Baker, who played at Los Angeles Loyola High, has averaged nearly 70 yards per game and has scored five touchdowns.

Going deep

Smith-Schuster is not the only USC receiver who could be sidelined or slowed because of injury.

Darreus Rogers is still nursing a sore hamstring. Steven Mitchell Jr. appears recovered from an ankle injury and junior De’Quan Hampton and freshman Deontay Burnett will be asked to step up.

Arizona has five receivers with at least 25 catches. Cayleb Jones has 40, two for touchdowns. Johnny Jackson has 34 receptions, five for touchdowns. Nate Phillips has 30 catches, David Richards 29 and Samajie Grant 25.

Getting defensive

USC has forced seven turnovers — including six interceptions — in the last two games.

The Trojans’ front seven is generating more consistent pressure.

Arizona has been without star linebacker Scooby Wright because of a foot injury.

The Wildcats run a 3-3-5 defensive scheme. Safety Will Parks has a team-best 51 tackles and safety Jamar Allah and cornerback DaVonte’ Neal also are top tacklers. Safety Tellas Jones has a team-best 4 1/2 tackles for losses.

gary.klein@latimes.com

Twitter: @latimesklein