USC-Oregon

The Trojans are back in action tomorrow after last Thursday's shocking loss to Oregon State. I was on the sideline that night, and it was obviously very disappointing. With 5 minutes left in the game, I asked the security guards where they would be when the fans stormed the field (I was wearing a USC polo). They said they would be by Coach Carroll, so when the game ended I stayed close to Pete for protection. That night wasn't all bad though, as I received countless text messages throughout the game informing me of the Twins dramatic come from behind win (7-6) to sweep the Sox and go into first place. Of course, that ended up being false hope. Oh well. I'm very excited for tomorrow's game to hopefully put me out of my week of sports misery. This is USC's Pac-10 home opener and luckily for them, Oregon jumped back into the rankings this week at #23, so a win will look more impressive. This is a critical game for the Trojans to make a statement and get a conference win. Some story lines to watch:

-Oregon has a very strong running game led by LeGarrette Blount and Jeremiah Johnson. The pair has combined for 14 rushing touchdowns in the Duck's first five games. USC had a hard time stopping the rushing attack of the Beavers and Jaquizz Rodgers last week. They will have to tackle much better this week against the power and speed combo of Blount and Johnson.

-Star USC linebacker Rey Maualuga is most likely out for this game. This will force Brian Cushing to play more in the middle. Also, redshirt sophomore Michael Morgan and redshirt freshman Chris Galippo will see time in Maualuga's absence. How these two young and relatively inexperienced linebackers respond will be key to stopping Oregon's potent rushing attack.

-It will be interesting to watch how USC quarterback Mark Sanchez bounces back from his first rough game. While Sanchez threw three touchdown passes against Oregon State, all three came in the second half, and he also threw a very costly interception in the fourth quarter that virtually sealed the win for the Beavers. Look for the Ducks to mimic the Beaver's strategy of putting a lot of pressure on Sanchez and making him move around in the pocket. He will have to make quicker decisions in order to avoid a repeat performance of last Thursday.

-How the Trojans come out of the gate will be critical. Against Oregon State, USC looked very sluggish, almost to the point where they looked like they were being dragged across the field on defense. They really didn't look into the game until the second half. They need to come out with a killer instinct from the get go, and being at home should help that.

-This is a statement game for USC. Many people don't expect them to contend for the National Title game after the loss to the Beavers. However, the Trojans are still firmly in the National Championship picture, albeit they need some help from the elite teams in the SEC and Big 12. Tomorrow's game is a chance for the Trojans to show they can demolish a pretty good Oregon team. Most experts agree that USC can't just win the rest of their games, but they need to go for style points as well. That means getting off to a good start and not letting up in the fourth quarter. They need to win by a big margin tomorrow, hopefully by three touchdowns or more.

Let's get back on the winning track.

Fight On! Beat the ducks!