USC (3-6, 1-5) at Washington State (2-7, 1-5)

* Kickoff: 4 p.m. Saturday at Pullman, Wash., Channel 7.

* Story line: USC has lost five in a row. A sixth would tie the school record set in 1991. With three games left, this is the Trojans’ best bet for a victory, since UCLA holds all the uncertainty of a rivalry game and Louisiana Tech has a dangerously potent offense.

* USC update: John Fox starts again at quarterback instead of Mike Van Raaphorst, but overall execution is the real issue for the Trojans. Stanford scored 54 points against Washington State and Oregon scored 52. Surely USC can manage more than 16 for the first time in three weeks. Can’t it?

* Washington State update: The Cougars are coming off a 52-10 loss to Oregon, and their only victories are over Cal and Louisiana Lafayette. However, they lost to Arizona, 30-24, only because an official mistakenly called Arizona’s Hail Mary pass at the end of the game a reception instead of an incompletion.

* Edge to USC: The Trojans’ talent advantage is so obvious that a loss would be the lowest point yet in an increasingly ugly season.

* Line: USC by 8 1/2.