Chargers Defeat the Rams & USC and UCLA Kickoff Season This Weekend

   August 31, 2017

USC And UCLA Kickoff Season This Weekend

LOS ANGELES- The USC Trojans and UCLA Bruins open their 2017 football season this Labor Day Weekend. First, the NO.4 ranked USC Trojans kickoff their 2017 campaign against the Western Michigan Broncos, at the iconic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday, September 2nd at 2:15 P.M. The game will air on the PAC-12 Network.

The following day, Sunday, September 3rd their arch nemesis, the UCLA Bruins welcome the Texas A&M Aggies to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. The game is slated for 4:30 P.M.

The USC Trojans are heavily favored to win the PAC-12 Conference, with Sophmore Quarterback Sam Darnold leading the surge. These Trojans are fresh off the heels of a thrilling Rose Bowl victory,  and are poised to make a run at the National Championship Playoffs.

Proving it’s not how you start, but how you finish, ‘SC opened the 2016 season getting soundly beaten by the Alabama Crimson Tide, posting a dismal 1-3 record before transforming their destiny.

Head Coach Clay Helton inserted Darnold at QB, and they rallied off nine straight victories to close the season.

Heisman Trophy hopeful QB  Darnold returns behind center after throwing for 3,086 yards in 2016, yet he is missing a few of his favorite targets including Juju Smith-Schuster, who moved on to the NFL.

Watch out for Wide Receiver Deontay Burnett, who posted 622 receiving yards in 2016, and had a phenomenal Rose Bowl performance against the Penn State Nittany Lions, winning as time expired, 52-49.

The Western Michigan Broncos aren’t a household name yes, however, the Broncos won the MAC Title last year, going 13-1.

“I have been very impressed with Western Michigan’s personnel,” Helton said.  Adding, “Defensively, I’ve been very very impressed with their front seven,” he said.

The Trojans should cruise to an opening weekend victory, but their focus may lie ahead to the near future, as both the Stanford Cardinal and the Texas Longhorns will visit USC later this month. USC faced adversity and doubt last season, rather than giving in and blaming one another, the Trojans did some soul searching, and ultimately reached their potential by encouraging and rallying around the team.

The UCLA Bruins wake up from their football hibernation a day late this year, as the Rose Bowl will be the site of perhaps the most exciting matchup of the Opening weekend of the College Football season, as UCLA hosts the Texas A&M Aggies Labor Day Weekend, Sunday, September 3rd at 4: P.M. on Fox.
Bruins faithful is enthusiastic about the return of Junior Quarterback, Josh Rosen, who is returning from off-season surgery on his right shoulder.Head Coach Jim Mora is entering his sixth year, and feels the pressure mounting.
In addition, revenge will have to be served piping hot; bring the sunscreen as temperatures are expected to reach triple digits. A&M defeated the Bruins in Overtime, 31-24 exactly one year ago to the day. The Bruins never recovered from that deflating loss in College Station.
Another subplot is the battle for top QB in the Southland. The Trojans Quarterback Sam Darnold is pitted against Bruins QB Josh Rosen for supremacy in the PAC-12, the race for the Heisman Trophy and maybe even the NO. 1 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Plenty of hype for two guys who have not met each other…yet.
Chargers Defeat The Rams
As L.A. Chargers Running Back Melvin Gordon pounded the ball iin the end zone, the Chargers found themselves up 21-0 with a 1:09 left in the 1st quarter.
On Saturday night, the highly anticipated “Fight For L.A” outcome was practically over before it began, as the Los Angeles Chargers held on to beat the Los Angeles Rams, 21-19. In the process, the Chargers earned their first victory in the pre-season.
From the kickoff, the Chargers played with a sense of desperation that this team is in great need of. Especially after the New Orleans Saints drubbed the Bolts, 48-17 last week.
“It was great getting the first victory, and not having any of our guys get injured,” said Chargers New Head Coach, Anthony Lynn. Coach Lynn graciously shared with DTLA Weekly.
Chargers Quarterback Phillip Rivers has played three possessions thus far in pre-season, every time the result was a TD. The opening possession, Rivers threw an ICBM to Receiver Travis Benjamin for a 48-yard touchdown pass.
Rivers went 6/6 for 85 yards and a TD.
As for the Rams, Head Coach Sean McVay rested key starters like Todd Gurley and Cooper Kupp. Quarterback Jared Goff had a rough outing in limited time. It was a setback after two excellent games in a row, but he did have the Rams in the Red Zone before Defensive End Joey Bossa leveled him
The ball jarred loose, DE Melvin Ingram recovered the fumble, scampered 76 yards down the sidelines for another touchdown.
Enough with pre-season, we crave real action, four quarters of competitive pigskin that will finally matter.
The regular season begins On Sunday, September 10th, as our Los Angeles  Rams host the Indianapolis Colts at 1:05 P.M. The Chargers start out the 2017 season in the Mile High State, facing division foe the Denver Broncos on the road, part of ESPN’ s Monday Night Football. Kickoff is at 7:15 P.M.
Their first home game in L.A.(since 1960) will be at the StubHub Center in Carson. The Chargers will face the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, September 17th, at 1:15 P.M.
It’s imperative every man, woman and child attend either a Rams or Chargers game this year. It’s painful and disheartening to see half empty stadiums, especially it being Los Angeles.
There have been decades of tradition, championships, Hollywood glamour and fierce loyalty in the City of Angels. It remains one of the most popular and enduring cities for professional sports in the United States. Frankly, it transcends football and becomes about pride in our teams. We patiently waited for twenty-one years for an NFL team, so I hope to see you there!

 

 

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Author: Diana King