Here we go . . . the real season (the Pac 10 season) begins this Thursday night against Oregon State Beavers in Corvallis, Oregon. And forget about what you've heard, it doesn't matter how bad the other Pac 10 teams have performed so far this year. They will come to play when SC is in town.

Oregon State is 1 - 2 on the year with a blow out win last week over Hawaii, but losses to Penn St. and Stanford. Here are the key players and stats for the Beavers:

Oregon State

Offense - QB Lyle Moeavo is having an above average season thus far, throwing for just over 300 yards per game with 6 TDs on a 61% completion rate. However, he has thrown (4) Ints and been sacked 4 times in 3 games. Moevao's main receiver targets are WRs Shane Morales and Sammy Stroughter who have (22) and (21) catches apiece, and combined for (5) TDs. The running game is lead by true frosh Jacquizz Rodgers who at 5'7 is hard to find and tackle. Rodgers is averaging almost 90 yards rushing per game. The OLine is the key to the Beavers' productivity as protecting the QB is job one. This unit is hoping for the return of their injured best blocker - Jeremy Perry - who's availability will be a gametime decision.

Defense - The defensive unit takes a step down from last year's outstanding group. In '08, the Beaver defense is only 8th in the Pac 10 against the run, as both Penn St. and Stanford rushed for over 200 yards against them in losses. And the "red zone" defense is horrible - offenses have put up (8) TDs and (1) in 10 opportunities once they get inside the 20 yard line on Oregon St. The unit also doesn’t get a lot of pressure on the passer - 8th in the conference in sacks with only four. LB Greg Laybourn is the most active player, leading the team in tackles. DLineman Victor Butler leads the charge up front collecting (3) TFLs thus far this season, and CB Keenan Lewis is the best of the DB unit with (1) Int and (4) passes defensed.

Special Teams - The kicking game for the Beavers is terrible. K Jason Kahut is 2 - 5 (40%) on the year, and misses anything over 30 yards. Kahut also doesn't have any touchbacks on kickoffs this year. The punting and coverage team is worse - ranking last in the Pac 10 with a net of 31 yards per punt. The one bright spot on special teams for Oregon St. is dangerous punt returner Sammy Stroughter (he took one to the house vs. SC in 2006), and kickoff returner James Rodgers has the Beavers at 2nd in the Pac 10 averaging 25+ yards per return.

USC

Offense

- Oregon St. represents another nice test for QB Mark Sanchez - Corvallis can get loud, foggy and weird, so Sanchez will have to keep his bearings and again be the DISTRIBUTOR and take care of the ball. SC's running backs with McKnight, Johnson, Gable et. al. could have a huge game because of the Beavers' weakness stopping the run. And look for SC's improved WR unit to benefit if the running game is clicking - Damian Williams, Pat Turner, Vidal Hazleton and Ronald Johnson will be able to strike in intermediate and deep pass routes with effective play action fakes to the running backs. The Trojan OLine should do very well against the front (7) of Oregon St. since the Beavs don't play the run real well, nor do they get a lot of pressure on the QB.

Defense - Because of the efficient Beaver passing game (#1 in the Pac 10), getting a good pass rush is important for the Trojan front (7). But USC's DLine and LBs must be careful. I believe the Beavers will try and use SC's quick up-field rush against them by running screen plays and draw plays with RB Jacquizz Rodgers. So Rey Maualuga and the rest of the LBs must play smart. I would expect Beaver QB Moevao to be in "3 step drop" mode for much of the game to pepper SC's DBs with the short passing game all game long. So the Trojan Dline can help by getting their hands up at the line of scrimmage.

Special Teams - Punt returner Joe McKnight might finally break through with a TD return because the Beaver punting game is so weak. And SC's kickoff return unit is the loneliest group on the Trojans. They rank last in the Pac 10, but its misleading because they have only had (3) opportunities to return a kickoff. The Trojan defense is so good, they don't allow the opponent to score a TD or FG, and therefore kickoff to Trojans Ronald Johnson and CJ Gable. So RoJo and Gable will have to make the most of their opportunities vs. the Beavers cuz the Oregon St. kickoff specialist does not put the ball in the end zone on kickoffs.

It's go time!

Prediction:

USC - 38

Oregon St. - 7

USC Rolls Over Ohio St., 35 - 3

It was billed as the "Collision at the Coliseum" - the matchup between traditional, top five rated USC and Ohio St.



And then boom . . . just like that . . . it was over by halftime.



For the Ohio St. Buckeyes it should have been named the "Calamity at the Coliseum". The Trojans beat the Buckeyes in every way possible - on the ground, through the air, forcing turnovers and playing what Pete Carroll likes to call "Trojan Football".


Let's grade this puppy.

Offense:



QB - Mark Sanchez got it done at a high level again. He was efficient and protected the ball for the most part going 17 - 28 for 172 yards with 4TDs and 1 INT. He missed a couple of throws, but his decision making and check downs are just emaculate. You can tell he learned a lot from his (3) starts last year, and he's applying all of the lessons. Grade: A -



RBs - Joe McKnight started off the game hot, and played really fast. He led the group with 12 rushes for 106 yards. Johnson, Gable and Bradford also ran well, and pass blocked OSU's defensive blitzes extremely well. FB Stan Havili got things started with a TD catch and run, plus led the the team in receptions. Grade: B+



WRs/TE - Damian Williams is solidifying himself as the "go to" receiver with 2 TDs and (3) catches for 49 yards. Patrick Turner had another solid game - no drops. There were a couple of mis-communications between WR and QB, but nothing big. True frosh TE Blake Ayles caught a TD pass, and is now a regular part of the TE rotation. The WR/TE unit also did a nice job of blocking the entire game. Grade: B



OLine - All questions have been answered . . . the Oline is good. Against a pretty good Dline, this group paved the way for 164 rushing yards and only gave up (1) sack - and that was QB Sanchez's fault for not getting rid of the ball on a scramble. This group is athletic and tough. Grade: B+






Defense:



DLine - This group gained control of the game as it went along. After a long drive that led to an OSU FG on their second possession, SC's Dline got constant pressure on the Buckeye QB (3 sacks) and stuffed the running lanes. DT Fili Moala ended up with a sack and several good plays against the OSU running game, and DE Clay Matthews forced a fumble on another sack. Grade: B+



LBs - The best unit in the country proved it with another stellar performance. Rey Maualuga had the highlight "Pick Six", and Brian Cushing led the team in tackles with (10). Grade: A -



DBs - Safeties Kevin Ellison and Taylor Mays played the passing lanes well, and supported the run defense. Ellison had an INT and Mays came up with (7) tackles. CBs Cary Harris and Shareece Wright got kind of lonely cuz they weren't tested for most of the game. Grade: B



Special Teams:



No big plays here, but no mistakes either. Kicker David Buehler clocked a couple of touchbacks, and the kickoff and punt return coverage was very good not allowing dangerous OSU KR Brandon Saine and PR Ray Small any room whatsoever. SC's return teams did not break anything, although field position for the Trojans was good all game long. Grade: C+



Coaching:



Give 'em credit - with two weeks off the coaching staff had SC well prepared. The offensive game plan kept OSU off-balance, and a couple of scoring plays flat out had the Buckeyes out-schemed and/or confused. The defensive coaches made the proper adjustments that shut off any gains that OSU was making with QB Terrelle Pryor and the running game. And they forced QB Boeckman into numerous mistakes. Grade: A -



Game Balls:



Offense - QB Mark Sanchez


Defense - Defensive Line


Special Teams - Punt/Kickoff Coverage Teams



Prediction Winner: Payback

Clash of the Titans: SC vs. Ohio State

Regular season games don't get any bigger than this. Two of the perennial giants of college football square off in the venerable Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Where's announcer Keith Jackson when you need him? Only he could do justice describing this game.

SC is coming off a bye and a domination of Virginia, while the Buckeyes are licking their wounds from a close call with Ohio U. and an injured star running back. But be careful of approaching wounded animals . . . Ohio St. has nothing to lose with their backs up against the wall. Will the Trojans take care of business?

Let's break it down . . .

Ohio State:

Offense - QB Todd Boeckman returns to lead the offense. A big guy at 6'5,240lbs, Boeckman posted solid numbers with just over 2300 yards passing(63% completion rate) with 25 TDs and 14 INTs last year. But five of those pickscame in big game losses to Illinois and LSU. Boeckman will line up behind a huge OLine that returns (4) starters,including OT Alex Boone. Boeckman has looked average thus far this year in two cupcake wins. The OLine is a better run blocking group, than it is a pass blocking unit. They will be tested severly by SC's front (7). Chris "Beanie" Wells makes it all go for the Buckeyes, rushing for 1,600+ yards in 2007. But with an injured foot, he's a game time decision. Look for Dan "Boom" Herron, Maurice Wells and Brandon Saine to rotate in if Beanie can't go. The WR corp also returns solid performers Brian Robiske and Brian Hartline, plus the speedy Ray Small. Robiske and Hartline are both 6'3, caught 50+ balls last year,and combined for 17 TDs. But they too, have been average this year, and performed poorly versus Ohio U. last week.

Defense - This unit led the Big 10 in both rushing and pass defense evenas a young group in 2007. They return All American leaders LB James Laurinitis(120+ tackles in '07) and CB Malcolm Jenkins (4 picks in '07). But the departure of DE Vernon Gholston and his (14) sacks leaves a question mark regarding the Buckeyes' ability to put pressure on the passer in'08. No other returning DLinemen had more than (2) sacks last year. Only DE Thad Gibson has shown the ability to get edge pressure thus far this year. LBMarcus Freeman and Safety Anderson Russell are underrated, but important players for the Buckeye defense.

Special Teams - The Buckeye kicking game is solid, if not spectacular. Punter AJ Trapasso averaged more than 41 yards per punt, and FG kickerRyan Pretorius made 78% of his FGs (including 6 of 7 over 40 yards). The return game has a good, speedy punt returner Ray Small who took one to the house to seal the win over Ohio U. last week. The kick return game will feature RB Brandon Saine.

USC:

Offense - After lighting it up vs. Virginia, QB Mark Sanchez is looking and feeling good. He's in command of the offense as a distributor, and he'll need to continue to make great decisions against a Buckeye defense that is strong up front, and fast in the back (7). SC will continue with the (4) RB rotation, but will probably ride the hot hand if it emerges among McKnight, Johnson, Bradford and Gable. Pass blocking by the RBs will be important in this game, as OSU will bring the LBs on blitzes. And look for secret weapon FB Stan Havili to create matchup problems for the Buckeye defense. Two words for the WRs - No Drops. They got it done against Virginia, but SC needs an encore performance this Saturday from this unit.

Defense - Release the hounds! SC's front (7) should be too much for the OSU OLine. But SC's DTs must stop the OSU run game first. OSU will try to line up and get physical with the straight ahead run game - that's a key for them to be competitive in this game. But SC's DBs need to be alert too - OSU will try a deep pass or two early to set the tone, and make the safeties think pass first, rather than crashing the line of scrimmage in run support. SC has shown the propensity to blitz up the middle with Maualuga recently . . . expect more of that to make the sometimes shaky OSU QB nervous.

Special Teams - Kicker David Buehler has been solid, but punter Greg Woidneck must do better. Woidneck only averaged 38 yards per punt in week one, and now he has to make good OSU punt returner call some fair catches if possible. Rule number one for SC's kickoff and punt returners: Protect the football at all costs . . . hear that Joe McKnight?

Prediction Time . . . get them in!!!

USC - 33

OSU - 10

Trojans Pound Cavaliers 52 -7 in Virginia

It never ceases to amaze. Whenever the Trojans open the season on the road, they look like they are in mid-season form. That was the case for USC as they dismantled an over-matched Virginia Cavalier squad that is still looking for the truck that hit them.

SC was sharp in nearly all phases (surprising even Trojan fans), and the preparation couldn't have been better despite several injuries during Fall Camp that left the offense with a lot of question marks. But the Trojans answered those questions with ease will dropping 52 points on the road in Charlottesville.

Let's grade this puppy:

Offense

QB - MarkSanchez almost played a flawless game. He was poised, patient, and opportunistic hitting on 26 - 35 passes for 330+ yards and 3 TDs. The only blemish were an INT on a ball thrown behind the receiver. And the knee injury? What knew injury?

Grade: A minus

RBs/FB - It was a cast of thousands here. (5) RBs scored TDs, and they all ran well. SC needs to run the toss sweep a lot more, cuz McKnight and Gable are money on those plays. As a group, this unit averaged six yards per carry.

Grade: A

WRs/TE - A terrific start for this group. No drops, baby . . . that will get it done. Damian Williams looked comfortable finding holes in the defensive zones and led with (7) receptions. Patrick Turner struck for two big plays and a TD. RoJo showed toughness on catch taking a big hit, and then came back and struck deep for a TD reception. TE Anthony McCoy also started the game off with two nice receptions for first downs.

Grade: A

OLine - The biggest question mark here turned into the biggest answer. The big uglies got it done giving up no sacks, and leading the running game to 200+ yards. Tackles Butch Lewis and Charles Brown had great games protecting in the passing game.

Grade: A

Defense

DLine - Interesting deal here . . . not a lot of stats from Moore, Moala, Spicer and Griffen in terms of tackles and sacks. But they did so their job in this game by occupying the Virginia OLine and allowing the LBs to blitz unchallenged. DE Clay Matthews was around the ball a lot accounting for a sack and a couple of fumble recoveries. They'll have to do more vs. Ohio St., however.

Grade: C

LBs - MLB Maualuga was a disruptive force all day long, and OLB Cushing was terrific in pass coverage. OLB Kaluka Maiava led the team in tackles with six, including a TFL. Youngsters Malcolm Smith (3 tackles) and true frosh MLB Uona Kavienga (TFL for 5 yard loss) also made some nice plays.

Grade: B plus

DBs - Outstanding game. SS Kevin Ellison started things off with a couple of pass break ups (should have been INTs) on Virginia's short passing game attempts. Cary Harris blanketed any deep ball tries, and CB Kevin Thomas had a nice INT in the second half. As usual, the DBs came up and delivered blows vs. the running game.

Grade: A minus

Special Teams - Kicker David Buehler was nails again with a FG, and several touchbacks on kickoffs. But punter Greg Woidneck only averaged 36 yards per punt, and PR Joe McKnight made a bad decision to field a punt and fumbled. McKnight did have a nice 18 yard punt return early in the game, however.

Grade - C

Coaching - What can be said? No staff does a better job of preparing these players to get off to a good start on the road. We've seen SC use its variety and sophistication on offense to utterly confuse OOS defenses every year. They did the same on Saturday. The defensive scheme really shut off the short passing game that Virginia wanted to use early, and forced Virginia's QB to have to make quick decisions.

One area that needs to be figured out is the the penalties. Virginia's only TD came almost entirely from successive SC penalties on excessive celebration, a late hit, and a pass interference. A balance needs to be found on encouraging enthusiasm and aggression with smart play.

Grade: A minus

Game Balls:

* Offense - OLine (Lewis, Byers, O'Dowd, Herberer and Brown)

* Defense - DE Clay Matthews

* Special Teams - Kicker David Buehler

Prediction Winner - JudoMan . . . picked the SC point total from out of the blue.