Date: Sept. 13, 2008 Time: 8 p.m. ET TV: ABC Location: The Coliseum (Los Angeles, California) University of Southern California Coach: Pete Carroll (76-14 at USC 2007) Record: 11-2 (Beat Illinois in Rose Bowl) Returning Starters: 4 offense, 7 defense Conference: Pac-10 Ohio State vs. USC: 9-11 all-time The nation's most anticipated college football game of the 2008 season matches up the two most prolific coaches as well as the most winning programs of the last decade when Ohio State visits Southern California. Both teams are currently placed amongst the top five in almost every existing pre-season poll including ESPN.com. Both coaches are also the top two most winning coaches during their tenures. Jim Tressel has posted an impressive 73-16 record in his seven years as the Buckeye head coach and Pete Carroll boasts a slightly better 76-14 record in seven years as well. The game is so anticipated, that Bengal's quarterback and USC Alumnus Carson Palmer, has made some recent statements about the game to ESPN's Sportcenter. "I'm really getting sick of it (hearing about OSU)," Palmer said. "I just can't wait for this game to get here so they can come out to the Coliseum and experience LA and get an old-fashioned Pac-10 butt-whoopin' and go back to the Big Ten." Palmer won the Heisman Trophy and is just one of several prominent USC quarterbacks to win the prestigious award or play professionally. This year, a new era at quarterback will start at USC when junior Mark Sanchez fills graduated John David Booty's position. Sanchez has plenty of experience from when Booty was sidelined due to injury. Sanchez went 2-1 as a starter compiling nearly 700 yards and seven touchdowns but will be kept on a short leash as Arkansas transfer, sophomore Mitch Mustain, will be ready to step in at a moment's notice. Although there is not much senior leadership returning this season, the USC running backs and wide receivers are extremely talented. In fact, Pete Carroll had four running backs competing for the starting position in the spring, starting with featured sophomore Joe McKnight. McKnight averaged a stellar 5.7 yards per carry last season and his carries will increase this season. The other two favorites to split carries with McKnight are sophomore C.J. Gable and junior Stafon Johnson. Johnson had 673 yards and five touchdowns last season and Gable had 143 yards on only 13 carries before an injury sidelined him for the season. Both wide receiver starters are back with senior Patrick Turner and junior Vidal Hazelton but the starting positions are still up for grabs and plenty of underclassmen are talented enough to battle for playing time. On the offensive line, the only starter returning is senior guard Jeff Byers but plenty of gifted athletes will fill these open positions with ease. Defensively, USC returns seven starters to a defense that ranked second in points and yards allowed per game. The defensive line is headlined by senior Fili Moala, who is considered amongst the best defensive tackles in the country and had 32 tackles last season. Past Rose bowl MVPs, seniors Rey Maualuga and Brian Cushing lead a line-backing core that could be the best in the nation although the Trojans lost two members to the NFL last season. The Trojan secondary also may be considered the best in the country by season's end as first team Pac-10 (2007) junior safety Kevin Ellison returns in the defensive backfield with freak-athlete Taylor Mayes, who stand at nearly 6-foot 5-inches tall and runs a 4.5 second 40 meter dash. This USC defensive could be a tough one to crack. As the USC fans are accustomed to the special team heroics of Reggie Bush and company, sophomore running back Joe McKnight could provide similar athleticism to kick returns. Key Intangibles for Ohio State: The OSU defensive line must be solid upfront and put pressure on Sanchez. In 2007, the only minor flaws in the Buckeye's defense were the inconsistent defensive tackles. If the tackles are able to maintain their assignment, defensive ends junior Lawrence Wilson and sophomore Cameron Heyward should be able to put tremendous pressure on the quarterback and the USC offensive line is inexperienced. Offensively, Ohio State senior quarterback, Todd Boeckman, must bring his "A" game and avoid costly mistakes against the solid USC linebackers and secondary. Any minor mistakes will lead to turnovers.
David Sokol can be reached at sokol.26@osu.edu.
Be the first to comment on this article!