i think if we play a flawless game then it will be close. masoli will have had to gain some chemistry with the offense and harper needs to learn how to throw the ball, assuming roper is still out. remember, this game is at the colisium this year so thats another advantage, and factor in they want revenge for last year. but i think usc just has hands down the most talent of any team in the country, i mean they probably run 5-star recruits 2 or 3 deep at every position. if we get good qb play, our line opens up some holes and j-will can hang on to the ball, along with forcing turnovers (that is extremely important) then we will have a chance. but first things first, if we dont beat boise st and wash st, then the usc game just decides whether we go to the holiday bowl or the sun bowl again.

I’m an avid Duck fan, but I gotta believe, Oregon will make a game of it for 1 qtr. Defensive wise, I like our chances a whole lot more than I did last year, but offensively Dennis Dixon truly was a diamond in the rough last year, I don’t see any of the QB’s this year matching what he did to SC a year ago.

After Oregon’s first real big test last weekend, I would say that the #2 spot in the PAC-10 is still wide open. I’m optimitic that Oregon can rebound, and they play another worthy opponent this weekend, and could easily be 5-0 going into that SC game which I plan on being at, but let’s not fool ourselves.

Sanchez is 5x the QB he was last year in Autzen even with dislocated kneecap from a month ago. If the QB play is a whole lot better, we can establish the run, which seemed to be the only thing tOSU was some what able to do with Pryor, and the WR’s catch passes, then we have a slight chance.

If Oregon plays the way they did against Purdue, SC will easily put up 50 or 60 pts.

I think the defense, specifically the pass defense, will keep it close. I want to see how the offense responds in the next 2 weeks. One thing that’s going to make this tough is that we aren’t going to sneak up on them. It seems to me like most of USC’s losses in the past few years have been in games that they couldn’t get motivated for. If we are 5-0 headed to L.A., we will most likely be game of the week and they’ll have plenty of motivation.

That being said, I think we have a chance. That’s the beauty of football. How many of the you said that the NY Giants had a ZERO percent chance of beating the Patriots? Be honest! I’m realistic; I think USC would beat us 8 or 9 times out of 10, but I’m optimistic. If we come out in the next 2 weeks and struggle on offense with the “new” QB’s, I reserve the right to change my vote.

but the answer is no. We could beat USC, but it would take the combination of a flawless game by us and a poor game by SC.

Oh wait…

What Ohio State did was quite inconsequential to how good the Oregon team may or may not be. On our best of days, USC could still win if they play a reasonably good game. It’s about who’s better that particular day on that particular field, not who’s beaten who.

I feel that our offense won’t be able to do enough overall, but this will be a great test of USC’s run defense. I’m not totally convinced we can’t run the ball semi effectively. With the QB problems we’re bound to have, running the ball will be key. Can we get over 200 yards on the ground? Maybe if we run the ball 50 times.

On the other side of the ball, it all depends on if we can stop the run. Ohio State didn’t do that, and that caused the unravelling. Oregon must make Sanchez beat them, as they did last year. Can Sanchez do that? I’m not so sure. His game against Ohio State wasn’t that great, with only decent YPA and completion. But the running game was going, and that made his job easy.

If Oregon is going to have a chance, they will need to control both lines, will be very tough. They cannot let USC to get pressure like it did against OSU.

Even if all those things break, which they very well could, I don’t think our QBs at this point will be able to beat USC. There is no reason to think they’d come out and play the way they need to in order to keep the USC defense honest and not make mistakes.

There is a very small chance Oregon could win this game, but I wouldn’t put money on it. I think they’ll do better than Ohio State, but that’s not saying much.

Is that USC has had trouble with either (a) complacency or (b) familiarity with their Pac-10 counterparts. The past few seasons they have struggled with Washington, Oregon St. you guys, UCLA, and of course Stanford after going out of OOC and steamrolling their opponents (who turned out to be not-so-good)

Do you guys think this is just a deeper USC team than the past two? Or do they get up for the big games and sleepwalk through the rest?

its given that they are going to put big points on the board on the offensive side. as good as our defense is (at times) i dont know if we can keep them under 30. its oging to be determined by how well we can run the ball, like most of you have already said, and if the quarterbacks can keep from throwing picks.

i think we have a good shot though. i know they are good, maybe best in good ole petes time good, but i think that oregon has the weapons to get it done, they just have to perform. its one day that matters. i know ill take oregon anyday of the week against any team.

i think they will win this one in a close game with huge numbers on the board. it could be masoli’s coming out party…

They are the better team, but it is the Pac 10. Anything can happen in the Pac 10.

I give us a 10% chance to win. Is that a maybe? That’s your interpretation.

With USC’s formidable defense and the way our receivers played last week I don’t think we have a chance. Kory Sheets of Purdue is not as good as three of USC’s top backs so this will be our one loss in an otherwise perfect season.

As I said above I reserve the right to change my mind. We are going to get HOUSED unless our coaches all of a sudden pull their heads out of their collective asses. The BSU game makes me sick. I’d be asking for their coach if it wasn’t for the fact that his players were freaking headhunting all game.

Not close.