In one of the most anticipated games of the weekend, the No. 7 USC Trojans will be at the Rose Bowl to face the No. 16 UCLA Bruins on Saturday. With USC football vying for title at the conference and national level, the final result could certainly affect the Trojans' fate for the remainder of the year.

The Trojans are 9-1, including 7-1 in conference play. Their only loss came in a one-point game to the then-No. 20 Utah Utes. While the Pac-12 title seems to be very possible, USC is likely dreaming bigger. The team still has the chance of making it into the College Football Playoff, or at the very least, to one of the New Year's Six bowls.

UCLA has been one of the most surprising schools this season. The Bruins opened 2022 with six straight wins, including versus two ranked teams. Now at 8-2 and 5-2 in the Pac-12, UCLA will need some combinations to advance to the postseason. Coming off a loss to unranked Arizona, the Bruins should be eager their Southern California rivals.

This should be a hard-fought battle and could go either way. But if the Trojans want to win the Victory Bell, they must be more prepared than ever. With that being said, here are three things USC must do to beat UCLA in this Pac-12 clash.

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3. Stop Zach Charbonnet on the ground

One of the main reasons why UCLA is having such a good season is its game on the ground. The team has the No. 8 rushing offense in FBS, averaging 240.0 yards per game.

A big part of that rushing success is senior Zach Charbonnet. The running back is third in the nation with an average of 143.1 yards per game, despite missing two games this season. For the year, he has 152 carries for a total of 1,145 yards and 13 touchdowns. His touchdown count places him in the top-10 in the NCAA. Additionally, he has three three-score performances in 2022.

USC enters the game outside of the top-50 in rushing defense. The Trojans allow 141.5 yards on the ground per game. Opponents have also scored 19 times against them. If they want to defeat the Bruins, it starts by stopping Charbonnet and the rest of the running corps.

2. The Trojans must replicate Travis Dye's numbers

Last week, the Trojans suffered a major setback. Running back Travis Dye is likely out for the season after an apparent lower leg injury following a tackle against the Colorado Buffaloes. He has 145 carries for a total of 884 yards and nine touchdowns this year, leading USC in all three categories.

Without him, the Trojans' offense should have a tough time on the ground. While they have Austin Jones and Raleek Brown, both players' numbers combined do not match Dye's contributions. Jones has 52 carries for 335 yards and three scores. Brown has 31 rush attempts for 148 yards and one touchdown.

Losing Dye is a blow, but USC football must bounce back. For that to happen, Jones and Brown need to step up. Although it seems very difficult to replace Dye, the Trojans need a solid game on the ground to defeat the Bruins. Fans should expect Dye's snaps to be shared by both Jones and Brown. Not only Saturday's game, but USC's entire season depends on the next men up in the running game.

1. Caleb Williams needs to play like a Heisman contender

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At the end of the day, everything can go down to how Caleb Williams performs. The quarterback is the player the most responsible for USC's success in 2022.

So far, Williams has completed 63.7% of his pass attempts for 3,010 yards and 31 touchdowns against only two interceptions. He also has 283 rushing yards and six scores on the ground. Notably, he has five 300-yard games and six performances with three or more passing touchdowns, including five scores twice.

UCLA has held opponents to less than 20 points in four opportunities, while USC has scored at least 30 points in all but one game this year. This includes a 66-point showing in Week 1 versus the Rice Owls and 50 points against the Arizona State Sun Devils on the road.

This matchup might go down to UCLA's defense versus USC's offense. If that is the case, Williams will play a crucial role on Saturday. As a top-five contender for the Heisman Trophy, the quarterback will have perhaps his greatest chance to show he deserves the award.

Should Williams pass for 300-plus yards and at least three touchdowns, plus get some yards on the ground, USC will have better chances to steal a game in the Rose Bowl. With the potential victory, the USC football will be even closer to the Pac-12 Championship Game in December.