Colorado has been the surprise standout in the Pac-12 South division, and at the Week 6 mark of the 2016 season, they’ve already matched their best win total since 2010.

Still, heading into enemy territory, the Colorado Buffaloes are underdogs against the storied USC Trojans, who will be seeking their third victory of the season on Saturday.

USC may be the more popular program, but it’s a bit surprising that they’re listed as favorites by the Vegas oddsmakers given that the Buffaloes have won three of their five games in convincing fashion. And in their lone loss, they looked even more impressive on the road in the Big House against the No. 4-ranked Michigan Wolverines.

But that’s okay, because a win for Colorado over USC would solidify the university’s claim that “The Rise” is real. With the win, Colorado would move to 5-1 and remain undefeated in the division, a claim no other program could make.

Here are my three reasons that Colorado will win:

The still have plenty to prove

As good as it felt to see the Buffaloes finally win a close game — and against Oregon of all teams — there’s still a bit of doubt, especially when you ask yourself this question:

What if the Oregon Ducks just aren’t that good?

I mean, they’re only 2-3, and those two wins came against UC Davis and Virginia (not exactly football powerhouses), before suffering three straight losses to Nebraska, Colorado and Washington State.

Yes, the Oregon offense is still explosive, lighting it up in all of their games, but their defense can no longer keep up.

But there’s no denying this: The victory gave Colorado confidence.

Mike MacIntyre is set to take his team to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and prove to the rest of the country that they’re deserving of that No. 21 ranking, if not more.

The defense is too good

What Jim Leavitt has done for this program on the defensive side of the ball is nothing short of amazing.

A few years ago, they were a joke. Today, they’ll enter Sunday’s matchup against the Trojans ranked 13th in the nation in yards per game.

The Buffaloes are led up front by Kenneth Olugbode (34 tackles and 1 sack) and Rick Gamboa (28 tackles and 1 interception).

In the secondary, the Buffaloes are very experienced, led by Chidobe Awuzie, who will be matched up against Juju Smith-Schuster, one of the best wideouts in the country, on Saturday. Awuzie will have plenty to prove.

A big advantage for the Buffaloes has been their turnover margin, so the ability to apply pressure and disrupt redshirt-freshman quarterback Sam Darnold will be critical to the success of the team.

No matter the quarterback, the offense will keep on rolling

Before the year, Sefo Liufau’s health was a major question mark. Heading into Week 6, Sefo Liufau’s health is, well, a major question mark. Luckily, they’ve found quite the capable replacement in Steven Montez.

Montez has silenced all the critics with impressive performances in each of the last two games. Currently, Montez is 10th in the country in passing efficiency and ninth in QBR, leading the Buffs to two wins in Liufau’s absence.

After sitting out two games with a sprained right ankle, Liufau has stated that he’s ready to play, but the decision is up to Coach MacIntyre, who has yet to name a starter. Liufau ranks seventh nationally in passer rating and is tied for 14th in QBR.

It will be a difficult decision for Coach Macintyre, even if it’s a good problem to have.