Pac-10 Game of the Week

USC vs Nebraska

This is it, the USC home opener!! I hate bye weeks early in the season because it kills momentum. People were questioning USC after losing two Heisman winners and nine other players to the NFL. USC rolled into Arkansas and summarily dispatched the Razorbacks with nary a whimper. Then they had to sit around for two weeks and wait for someone to come to the Coliseum. How much you want to bet that the Trojans are just waiting for someone to come into their house and then unleash that extra week of aggression on them? That someone is Nebraska. Surprisingly, the Huskers dont run the option anymore. Who knew? I didn't, but that is probably because Nebraska has been hiding under a rock and most of us haven't heard anything about them in a couple of years. That kinda sucks for USC. The secondary has the most questions of any unit on the team and they are again being decimated by injury, this time by Josh Pinkard. That is the good news for Zac Taylor. The bad news is that USC still has a pretty good front seven. He will be under pressure. A lot. And he will be sacked. A lot. For USC, this is a chance to put themselves and the Pac-10 in the limelight. Even though it seems like every important game is happening this week, USC still has something to show to voters. Yes, they beat an SEC team, but it was Arkansas. How will they do against an actual defense? I say the USC offense is too strong for the Blackshirts. They have a very athletic front seven, but Adam Carriker won't get to Booty much if he has to get past Sam Baker. Two of the best in the country going mano-a-mano and it should be the individual matchup to watch all game. If Baker does give Booty time to throw, he will find Jarrett and Co. and keep the Huskers from stopping the Trojan offense. It should be a very good matchup, but Nebraska just doesn't have the offensive balance to score another 50 points Saturday. USC is not Nicholls State.

Brian's Pick: USC
Mike's Pick: USC