Anthony Sarao says USC’s opportunity Saturday is ‘a blessing’

USC seniors will have a final chance Saturday to defeat UCLA and earn a trip to the Pac-12 Championship game.

After five seasons, four head coaches and three losses to the Bruins, linebacker Anthony Sarao called the opportunity in the regular-season finale “a blessing.�

“Especially for us senior guys,� he said. “We get to go out of our careers with a chance to play our rivals, to go the championship game.�

When asked to summarize his USC experience, Sarao, from New Jersey, said, “I don’t think you can. Maybe when I get out of here, I can one day, but not right now.�

Sarao, a third-year starter, has made 42 tackles, including five for a loss and three sacks, this season.

He said USC’s focus Saturday must remain on this season’s match-up with UCLA, and that the Trojans can’t dwell on losing three straight contests to their rival.

“Every year is a new season, so just doing what we go to do,� he said. “We’ve got talent, we’ve got everything.�

Questions or comments about USC? Email me at [email protected] or tweet @lindseythiry and I will respond to select messages in a weekly USC Now mailbag