My take on USC's last 2 games.......

[ctownguy]

I going with UCLA to cover but will definitely lose the game as USC will win but will not blow them out on their way to the National Championship game against Texas.

Against Texas I will be betting the house and my first born LOL on USC to blow out these pretenders from Texas.

It is my belief that the Texas we all know and love will show up and piss down their leg as they always have in past years. Also their big ass over confident cocky QB will be futher exposed to be just another big nothing and it will be with much happiness to watch as he is completely dominiated by USC.

 

[maverick2112]

I dont care what any Texas backers say............that game last week to Tex A&M was a big big big red flag for me...........A&M completely sucked and had no chance but somehow they ran the friggen ball right down the longhorns throats.........Texas is a fraud........just wait and see..........

 

[pt1gard]

tuff one to handicap for me b/c usc's D is kinda shaky with all the bruises, but usc off. could get 55 vs ucla ... if usc did lose wouldnt they still be in???? Im not even sure

 

[gjn23]

me thinks sc is in with a loss...unless they get blowout and lost bush and leinhart....

the loss would be vs ucla (top 10 bcs team)
a 1 loss team needs to be invited to the rose bowl...why psu/lsu/vt over sc?
but more importantly....their lead over #3 is so large that they would have to drop significantly in the polls to get eliminated...

think texas is in a more precarious spot if they lose than sc....losing to colorado much worse than losing to ucla and they are closer to psu than sc is

 

[Scott4USC]

2004 USC D vs 2005 USC D

Media and people on the boards seem to think USC D is weakness and USC D last year was so much better and this year it is major liability. I agree last years D was better but might not be a big difference as you think. Remember, last years D was scrutinized prior to Orange Bowl and then flat out dominated. I see the same scenario with this years D.

Last year USC gave up 13ppg
This year USC is giving up 21ppg

That is a whopping 8pt difference which prob. can be explained. Don't forget USC is also scoring 12 more ppg! I think USC special teams has a lot to do with this stat being skewed. I think USC is DEAD last in special teams. This skews the ppg given up. Not only have opposing teams scored on special teams but more importantly USC gave opposing teams GREAT field position. Take last week against FSU for example. FSU had 2 scoring drives (back to back) where they started on USC 28 and USC 15 yard line. That is 14pts FSU scored because of USC special teams. Is that USC defense fault?

Also USC offense is more explosive this season and less ball control offense. Often USC D is left on the field for large amounts of time. USC offense scores to darn fast.

This years team was younger to start the year and battled injuries on top of that. This is a fact!

USC schedule this year was much more difficult, especially playing 5 of first 7 games on the road. USC D this year has faced more potent offenses. Vast majority of USC's road games were against their toughest opponents.

Lastly, USC D last year played their starters more min. vs this years defense. USC starting D this season has only played 3 complete games all year. That means BACKUPS are playing significant minutes.

Lets not forget this years team is taking everyones best shot more than last years team did. This is huge deal.

USC having such a piss poor pass defense? Pass D major weakness? Last year USC gave up 10.6 yards per pass. This years D has given up 11.4 yards per pass. Last year USC gave up 200 total yards passing per game. This year USC is giving up 235 yards passing per game. Read again what I wrote above and this years D might be almost as good as last years!

I am telling everyone, USC D is not a liability. Pete Carroll himself has said many times he isn't worried at all about his D and people are making too big of a deal about it.

UCLA D is a liability. Texas D will be in shock defending an offense like USC. Bank on it!

 

[ctownguy]

I knew when I posted this USC4Scott would jump on it.

But I completely agree with him on this game and I am very happy to have his post as he explains it much more eloquently than I.

I do not want to start anything or open old debates, but the only reason I have been anti USC is because of their so called National Championship 2 yrs ago when LSU actually won it according to the rules and parameters set up by the NCAA. But like I said lets not go there.

USC is to me and IMHO the best team in the nation and Reggie Bush better win the Heisman or it is a fraud.

DO NOT GET THE WRONG IMPRESSION I'M STILL NO USC FANATIC BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE CASH COMMON SENSE MUST PREVAIL AND KUDOS MUST BE GIVEN WHERE THEY ARE DESERVED AND I BELIEVE USC AND SCOTT DESERVE THEM AT THIS TIME. :clap: :clap:

 

[freelancc]

Reggie Bush better win the Heisman or it is a fraud.

totally agree :clap:

but never underestimate the stupidity of NCAA Heisman voters.. :mj07: :mj07:

 

[AR182]

i also was of the belief that usc's defense was very suspect......

but in speaking to a friend, who is into numbers, he told me something about usc that i thought was interesting....

usc faced 5 opponents that potentially posed a problem to them...

the 5 teams were oregon, arizona st.,n.d.,california,& fresno st.....

usc held these 5 teams to an average of 5.1 yppl, which is about 1.3 yppl better than the 6.4 yppl that those teams would average against an average defense....that is excellent !!

it seems that alot of the yardage that the usc gave up was by their 2nd & 3rd units.

i haven't decided if i'm going to play this game yet....but i'm going to have to look further into this.....

 

[blgstocks]

me thinks sc is in with a loss...unless they get blowout and lost bush and leinhart....

the loss would be vs ucla (top 10 bcs team)
a 1 loss team needs to be invited to the rose bowl...why psu/lsu/vt over sc?
but more importantly....their lead over #3 is so large that they would have to drop significantly in the polls to get eliminated...

with that mentality why wouldnt VT be the easy replacement for the NC?

Say SC does lose.
SC has close games all year. Va Tech not so much.
Both have 1 loss but USC just lost. SC loses to top 10 (in some polls) which is a valid argument but who did VATech lose to? top 5 team at the time.

I think if USC loses then Penn St. will be team invited unlesssssssss LSU has an incredible game agianst Georgia.

Which they might

 

[sdf]

It is my belief that the Texas we all know and love will show up and piss down their leg as they always have in past years. Also their big ass over confident cocky QB will be futher exposed to be just another big nothing and it will be with much happiness to watch as he is completely dominiated by USC.

i think you're completely wrong in this belief. Texas has played two very big games in the past year...the Rose Bowl and at OhioSt. They showed up. They played a good game. They didnt give up when they got behind. and they WON.

USC should beat Texas, but Texas has no need to be nervous. They will follow VY's confidence and leadership and hang tough with the Trojans, but I think the USC defense will end up being just enough to win this game while the USC offense rolls up a big chunk of points.

45-34 USC.

 

[gjn23]

i agree with you sdf

texas will probably put some point on the board if young is on (if he's off, they will get wacked)...but in the end i see sc winning rather easily (see fsu vs va tech with vick in the sugar bowl a few years ago)

40-something
to
20-something

call it 48-27

 

[tom]

I see it about the same way as you guys, a 10 to 14 point victory for SC. Maybe even up around 20, but anyone who thinks that Texas is going to "piss themselves" or that they'll be scared is just plain stupid.
The coaching staff at SC is top notch and will have them prepared and peaking when they need to be.
USC is a damn fine team and deserves its accolades, even if alot of their fans are blowhards.