King of Props: Air show in the City of Angels

The battle for Los Angeles takes place tonight when No. 16 UCLA hosts No. 7 USC in the historic setting of the Rose Bowl. The two schools have competed on the gridiron every year since 1936, with the winner getting possession of the Victory Bell. As the storied crosstown rivalry is renewed, we’re backing the Heisman hopeful who figures to be the main attraction:

The bet: Over 312½ passing yards for USC quarterback Caleb Williams (Bally’s)

After getting the job as USC’s coach, Lincoln Riley was able to convince his former signal-caller at Oklahoma to join him, and Williams is flourishing in Southern California. The sophomore has already eclipsed 3,000 passing yards on the season, averaging 301 per game while leading the Trojans to a 9-1 record.

Williams shows tremendous poise for someone who just turned 20 yesterday. His arsenal of receivers includes another transfer, Jordan Addison, who won the Biletnikoff Award at Pitt last year, and Mario Williams, who is expected to return from injury. But featured running back Travis Dye has been lost for the rest of the season, and that misfortune will contribute to a pass-heavy game plan.

The UCLA defense allows 254.4 passing yards per game, which ranks 102nd in the country. The last two quarterbacks to face the Bruins cleared this number, with Arizona’s Jayden de Laura passing for 315 yards and Arizona State’s Trenton Bourguet reaching 349.

In a game that promises plenty of fireworks, Williams should light it up.