2006 USC Trojans

2006 USC Trojans Season, Game Recaps, Scores and Reviews

Jan. 1
Rose Bowl
USC 32 ... Michigan 18
USC exploded for 29 second half points pulling away in the fourth quarter on a 62-yard touchdown from Dwayne Jarrett. Steve Smith followed up with a seven-yard scoring pass on USC's next drive for a 32-11 lead. Booty threw four touchdown passes with two to Jarrett and a two-yard pass to Chris McFoy, but Michigan stayed alive with an 11-yard Adrian Arrington touchdown catch and a Mike Hart two-point conversion early in the fourth quarter before Jarrett took over. Steve Breaston scored on a 41-yard touchdown pass in garbage time. Michigan finished with just 12 yards rushing hurt by six sacks; Chad Henne was under pressure all game long.
Player of the game ... USC WR Dwayne Jarrett caught 11 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns
Stat Leaders: USC - Passing: John David Booty 27-45, 391 yds, 4 TD
Rushing: C.J. Gable, 13-25. Receiving: Dwayne Jarrett, 11-205, 2 TD
Michigan - Passing: Chad Henne, 26-41, 309 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Mike Hart, 17-47. Receiving: Steve Breaston, 7-115, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean Basil? ...  Quarter by quarter game notes ...Michigan never figured out how to keep USC from getting into the backfield over and over again, and the offensive line didn't open up many holes for Mike Hart. The supposedly great Michigan defensive line got a phenomenal game from DT Alan Branch, although the stats might not show it, but no pass rush whatsoever from LaMarr Woodley. John David Booty got time to operate, was able to move his way out of trouble, and Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith where their normal fantastic selves. ... Michigan hung around even though nothing was going its way, but the secondary couldn't stop the USC receivers. If Leon Hall is supposed to be a top five caliber pick, he didn't show it. ... Give Pete Carroll and his staff time and they'll carve up anyone. The defense was all over the place, Booty got the ball out of his hands quickly, considering the UCLA debacle, and the team played at a national title level.

2006 Schedule CFN Prediction: 11-1 2005 Record: 11-2 Preview 2006 predicted wins
9/2	at Arkansas W 50-14
9/16	Nebraska W 28-10
9/23	at Arizona W 20-3
9/30	at Wash St W 28-22
10/7	Washington W 26-20
10/14	Arizona State W 28-21
10/28	at Oregon State L 33-31
11/4	at Stanford W 42-0
11/11	Oregon W 35-10
11/18	California W 23-9
11/25	Notre Dame W 44-24
12/2	at UCLA  L 13-9
1/1	Rose Bowl Michigan L 35-18

2005 Schedule CFN Prediction: 12-0 2005 Record: 12-1 Preview 2005 predicted wins
9/3	at Hawaii W 63-17
9/17	Arkansas  W 70-17
9/24	at Oregon W 45-13
10/1	at Arizona St W 38-28
10/8	Arizona W 42-21
10/15	at Notre Dame  W 34-31
10/22	at Washington W 51-24
10/29	Washington St W 55-13
11/5	Stanford W 51-21
11/12	at California W 35-10
11/19	Fresno State W 50-42
12/3	UCLA W 66-19
1/4	Rose Bowl Texas L 41-38

Dec. 2
UCLA 13 ... USC 9
UCLA ruined USC's national title hopes when Eric McNeal snuffed out a final USC drive deep in Bruin territory tipping the ball in the air before making the interception. The Bruin offense only managed 235 yards of total offense, but cranked out a 91-yard drive in the first quarter culminating in a one-yard Pat Cowan touchdown run and got two Justin Medlock field goals in the second half. The UCLA defense held USC scoreless after one-yard C.J. Gable run in the final minute of the first half. A holding call in the end zone gave USC a safety on the way to a 9-7 halftime lead.
Player of the game ... UCLA LB Christian Taylor made 11 tackles, broke up two passes and made one tackle for loss
Stat Leaders: USC - Passing: John David Booty, 23-39, 274 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: C.J. Gable, 19-52, 1 TD. Receiving: Fred Davis, 6-68
UCLA - Passing: Pat Cowan, 12-21, 114 yds
Rushing: Pat Cowan, 10-55, 1 TD. Receiving: Marcus Everett, 5-72
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean Basil? ... Even at this point in the year, USC is a young team. What do young teams do in really big situations? They play tight. UCLA was bouncing around and appeared to have a high energy level from start to finish. The Trojans seemed like they were fighting themselves all game long. The Bruin defensive front had a lot to do with it, but USC's offense wasn't able to find any groove early, and that gave UCLA the confidence to build on. Lost in the loss was the play of the defense that only gave up 235 yards.

Nov. 25
USC 44 ... Notre Dame 24
Dwayne Jarrett caught three touchdown passes scoring from nine and five yards out for a 14-0 lead and effectively putting the game away with a 43-yard score with just over eight minutes to play. Notre Dame tried to keep up with Brady Quinn throwing three touchdown passes, but was playing catchup all game long with the offense going for it six times on fourth downs, converting twice. After a two-yard touchdown pass to Jeff Samardzija in the fourth quarter, USC got a score of its own with Brian Cushing taking the onside kickoff attempt 42 yards for a touchdown. The two teams each gained 402 yards.
Player of the game ... USC WR Dwayne Jarrett caught seven passes for 132 yards and three touchdowns
Stat Leaders: USC - Passing: John David Booty, 17-28, 265 yds, 3 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: C.J. Gable, 20-107. Receiving: Dwayne Jarrett, 7-132, 3 TD
Notre Dame - Passing: Brady Quinn, 22-45, 274 yds, 3 TD
Rushing: Brady Quinn, 11-74  Receiving: Rhema McKnight, 6-109, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean Basil? ... USC got the splashy win it needed beating Notre Dame with shocking ease to firmly establish itself as the nation's number two team and worthy of playing for the national title if it can get by UCLA. While Dwayne Jarrett will get all the press and publicity after an All-America performance, the steady running of C.J. Gable and the consistent pressure on Brady Quinn by Lawrence Jackson were almost as vital and will go unnoticed. The defense matched Notre Dame stride for stride; this group is fast, fast, fast.

Nov. 18
USC 23 ... California 9
USC clinched the Rose Bowl (at least) breaking open a close game by shutting out Cal in the second half while getting a 49-yard field goal from backup kicker David Buehler, a brilliant 25-yard touchdown catch from Dwayne Jarrett, who held on despite getting popped, and a 37-yard Steve Smith scoring grab to put it away. Cal only managed 275 yards of total offense scoring on a Brandon Mebane stuffing of C.J. Gable for a safety and a six-yard touchdown catch from Lavelle Hawkins. USC forced three turnovers and didn't lose any.
Player of the game ... USC RB C.J. Gable ran 19 times for 91 yards
Stat Leaders: USC - Passing: John David Booty, 18-31, 238 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: C.J. Gable, 19-91. Receiving: Steve Smith, 6-88, 1 TD
California - Passing: Nate Longshore, 17-38, 176 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Marshawn Lynch, 20-88  Receiving: Marshawn Lynch, 5-21
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean Basil? ... It's still there for the taking. Despite not looking all that strong in the first half against Cal, USC was dominant in the second half to pull away for the win to clinch at least a share of the Pac 10 title and the Rose Bowl with bigger fish out there to fry. With the world certain to be watching over the final two games against Notre Dame and UCLA, two impressive performances will mean a spot against Ohio State in Glendale is possible. With the emergence of C.J. Gable to add more to the running game, and with John David Booty getting more and more comfortable looking night-and-day better in the second half than he was in the first half against Cal, this really might be a team worthy of playing for it all.

Nov. 11
USC 35 ... Oregon 10
Chauncey Washington ran for three touchdowns. C.J. Gable added a short score, and Dwayne Jarrett caught a 12-yard touchdown pass as USC blew past Oregon in an impressive performance. Oregon was down 14-0 when it finally got on the board with a 22-yard Paul Martinez field goal, and was down 28-3 in the fourth quarter before going on its best drive of the game going 80 yards in 11 plays finishing with a controversial seven-yard touchdown catch from Jonathan Stewart, who was out of bounds, but came back in and caught the tipped pass for a score. The fourth quarter came to a screeching halt with long delay to review the play, and then review it again on a reverse.
Player of the game ... USC RB Chauncey Washington ran 15 times for 119 yards and three touchdowns
Stat Leaders: USC - Passing: John David Booty, 16-25, 176 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Chauncey Washington, 15-119, 3 TD. Receiving: Steve Smith, 7-88
Oregon - Passing: Dennis Dixon, 15-23, 130 yds
Rushing: Jonathan Stewart, 14-42  Receiving: Dante Rosario, 7-69
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean Basil? ... Arguably, USC came up with its best win of the season with a fantastic all-around performance against Oregon. The run defense stuffed Jonathan Stewart, there was balance on offense, and despite a few hiccups, like three interceptions thrown by three different players, it was the type of performance that'll put the Trojans back in the thick of the national title race. The one downside was the loss of RB Emmanuel Moody to an ankle injury meaning Chauncey Washington might have to carry even more of the load over the next few weeks.

Nov. 4
USC 42 ... Stanford 0
John David Booty threw three touchdown passes in the second quarter and Chauncey Washington ran for a 15-yard score in an easy rout. Stanford's best chance to score can on a third quarter field goal attempt, but USC's Sedrick Ellis blocked it and Terrell Thomas scooped it up for a 71-yard touchdown. Backup Trojan QB Mark Sanchez finished things off with a four-yard touchdown run. The Cardinal only gained 208 yards of total offense.
Player of the game ... USC QB John David Booty completed 12 of 21 passes for 203 yards and three touchdowns
Stat Leaders: USC - Passing: John David Booty, 12-21, 203 yds, 3 TD
Rushing: Chauncey Washington, 12-74, 1 TD. Receiving: Dwayne Jarrett, 5-118, 1 TD
Stanford - Passing: T.C. Ostrander, 16-30, 178 yds, 2 INT
Rushing: Anthony Kimble, 15-22  Receiving: Richard Sherman, 3-58
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean Basil? ... Beating Stanford is hardly anything to crow about, but it was a good outing to shake the rust off after the Oregon State loss. Now the Trojans have to kick everything into high-gear with a four-game run that could carry them to the national title game if, and only if, they start putting up huge numbers blowing out Oregon, Cal, Notre Dame and UCLA. The running game still isn't rolling, even though Chauncey Washington is playing well, and John David Booty could stand to be a bit sharper. Everything has to quickly come together with the team needing a razor-sharp performance against the Ducks next week.

Oct. 28
Oregon State 33 ... USC 31
Jeff Van Orsow knocked down USC's conversion attempt to prevent overtime and pull off the upset. The Beavers got up 33-10 late in the third quarter thanks to four Alexis Serna field goals, a Matt Moore one-yard scoring run, a nine-yard touchdown pass to Joe Newton and a Sammie Stroughter 70-yard punt return for a touchdown, but USC came roaring back on three John David Booty touchdown passes. Steve Smith, who had a career night with 11 catches for 258 yards, made two fourth quarter touchdown grabs including a two-yard catch with seven seconds to play to pull within two. USC outgained OSU 492 yards to 351, but turned it over four times.
Player of the game ... In a losing cause, USC WR Steve Smith caught 11 passes for 258 yards and two touchdowns.
Stat Leaders: USC - Passing: John David Booty, 24-39, 406 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Chauncey Washington, 18-81, 1 TD. Receiving: Steve Smith, 11-258, 2 TD
Oregon State - Passing: Matt Moore, Matt Moore, 21-32, 262 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Clinton Polk, 22-100  Receiving: Sammie Stroughter 8-127
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean Basil? ... USC has been close to getting tagged over the last few weeks, and everything blew apart against Oregon State. There was good defensive pressure from the blitzes, the offense turned it up a few notches, and the passing game was breathtaking once it got going, but the early issues, the punt return allowed for a touchdown, the problems on third downs, and the lack of a running game showed how much room there is for improvement. Fortunately, Stanford is up next to get back on track before dealing with Oregon and Cal. The national title dream might be gone, but there's still the Pac 10 title to win and a spot in the BCS is still something to shoot for. USC just has to refocus.

Oct. 14
USC 28 ... Arizona State 21
USC won the game with Chauncey Washington and a pounding running game holding on with things got tight in the fourth quarter, and going ahead with a two-yard Washington scoring run with 4:29 to play. The Trojans appeared to be on their way to a blowout taking a 21-0 lead on a two-yard C.J. Gable run and two John David Booty scoring passes including a 14-yard lob that made Dwayne Jarrett the Pac 10's all-time leader in touchdown catches. But ASU chipped back with a six-yard run from Ryan Torian late in the first half and an eight-yard pass to Zach Miller early in the third. Keno Walter-White picked off a Booty pass for a 37-yard touchdown to tie it, and then things got interesting.
Player of the game ... USC RB Chauncey Washington ran 22 times for 108 yards and a touchdown.
Stat Leaders: Arizona State - Passing: Rudy Carpenter, 21-21, 124 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Ryan Torian, 20-57, 1 TD. Receiving: Zach Miller, 4-36, 1 TD
USC - Passing: John David Booty, 12-25, 148 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Chauncey Washington, 22-108, 1 TD  Receiving: Dwayne Jarrett, 6-60, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean Basil? ... USC might not be doing much to win style points, but it's winning and winning and winning. Give credit to Pete Carroll and his staff for keeping thing on an even keel even though not everything is working. When John David Booty started to get shaky against Arizona State, it became the Chauncey Washington show running the ball with the offensive line pounding away when the offense needed some key late drives. While the lack of overall explosiveness and consistency will work against the average teams in the Pac 10, and it'll work against Oregon State and Stanford, but more is needed from both sides of the ball to beat Cal and Notre Dame.

Oct. 7
USC 26 ... Washington 20
USC held on as Washington got down to the Trojan 15-yard line with two seconds to play, but couldn't get another play off. Mario Danelo hit four field goals for USC, but his first field goal attempt turned into the big play of the game as Steve Smith took caught a pass off a fake for a 20-yard score. Isaiah Stanback threw two touchdown passes including a six-yard play to Johnie Kirton early in the fourth quarter to pull within three, but a 21-yard Danelo field goal with 1:34 to play forced the Huskies to go for a touchdown on their final drive.
Player of the game ... USC LB Keith Rivers made 12 tackles, broke up two passes, and came up with a tackle for loss.
Stat Leaders: Washington - Passing: Isaiah Stanback, 17-38, 212 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Kenny James, 13-84. Receiving: Sonny Shackelford, 9-125
USC - Passing: John David Booty, 23-40, 243 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Chauncey Washington, 17-81  Receiving: Patrick Turner, 12-116, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean Basil? ... Eventually, USC is going to get burned if it plays more close games like it has over the last two weeks. John David Booty was fine against Washington, but he has to turn more field goal drives into touchdowns. If two of Mario Danelo's four field goals were extra points, the game would've been a blowout. That might come in time as the team starts to find more of a running game and it gets Dwayne Jarrett back, and fortunately, Arizona State, Oregon State, and Stanford are up to sharpen the attack before dealing with Oregon, Cal and Notre Dame.

Sept. 30
USC 28 ... Washington State 22
USC survived as Washington State got two Alex Brink touchdown passes and had a shot at the win with a last-second Hail Mary that was picked off by Taylor Mays. The Trojan offense struggled with its consistency without WR Dwayne Jarrett, but Steve Smith stepped up with 186 yards and second half touchdown grabs from seven and 11 yards out. Wazzu got up 3-0, but never led the rest of the way after Chris McFoy, who later left the game with a shoulder injury, caught a seven-yard scoring pass. Chauncey Washington ran for a three-yard score to put the Trojans up 14-6, but the Cougars came back with a four-yard scoring pass to Jason Hill in the final minute of the first half to pull within two after missing on the conversion. USC had a nightmare of a time putting the game away despite holding on to the ball for 11:35 in the fourth quarter and getting a nine-play, 99-yard scoring drive in the third. 
Player of the game ... USC WR Steve Smith caught 11 passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns
Stat Leaders: Washington State - Passing: Alex Brink, 26-46, 287 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Dwight Tardy, 11-62. Receiving: Michael Bumpus, 11-112
USC - Passing: John David Booty, 23-32, 269 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Chauncey Washington, 18-71, 1 TD  Receiving: Steve Smith, 11-186, 2 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean Basil? ... It would be interesting to see what this team could do if it had all the parts. With all the injuries on both sides of the ball, you'll have to forgive the Trojans if they aren't at their most consistent. However, this team still has talent to burn with Steve Smith stepping up his play against Washington State and showing why many NFL types are going to see him as a potential number one target. It seemed like the Trojans did just about everything right but put the game away. Give a little credit to the Cougars for playing a great game. Even so, a better team, like Cal or Oregon, would've tagged the Trojans this week.

Sept. 23
USC 20 ... Arizona 3
USC's defense held Arizona to -16 net rushing yards and was never threatened after the first half thanks to a three-yard touchdown catch from Dwayne Jarrett and a nine-yard Emmanuel Moody scoring dash. Mario Danelo added two field goals. Arizona was only able to score on a 43-yard Nick Folk field goal. The one other Wildcat opportunity was snuffed out by a blocked field goal.
Player of the game ... USC RB Emmanuel Moody ran 21 times for 130 yards and a touchdown
Stat Leaders: Arizona - Passing: Willie Tuitama, 14-23, 170 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Chris Jennings, 9-23. Receiving: Mike Thomas, 7-78
USC - Passing: John David Booty, 24-39, 179 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Emmanuel Moody, 21-130, 1 TD  Receiving: Fred Davis, 5-38
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean Basil? ... Many on a national scale are going to say USC is down because the offense isn't putting up a bazillion points like last year. However, the defense is playing at a much higher level. This is a speedy, active, aggressive defense that crushed anything Arizona wanted to do all game long. The front seven bettered around Wildcat QB Willie Tuitama and finished with five sacks and at least twice as many hurries. As long as the D is generating consistent pressure, no one on the schedule will pull off the upset. The offense might not seem like it's getting better, but it is. The final score would've been far worse if there weren't a few big dropped passes.

Sept. 16
USC 28 ... Nebraska 10
John David Booty threw three touchdown passes, with two to Dwayne Jarrett, and Chauncey Washington ran for a seven-yard score as USC wasn't pretty, but won easily. Nebraska got up early on a 38-yard Jordan Congdon field goal, but wasn't able to get the offense moving in the first half and only managed a one-yard Zac Taylor touchdown run in the fourth quarter. The Trojans outgained the Huskers 399 yards to 211.
Player of the game ... USC WR Dwayne Jarrett caught 11 passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns.
Stat Leaders: USC- Passing: John David Booty, 25-36, 257 yds, 3 TD
Rushing: Emmanuel Moody, 9-70. Receiving: Dwayne Jarrett, 11-136, 2 TD
Nebraska - Passing: Zac Taylor, 8-16, 115 yds
Rushing: Kenny Wilson, 19-46  Receiving: Brandon Jackson, 4-36
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean Basil? ... It shows how good USC is that it can look average and come up with seemingly sleepwalking performance, yet win by 18 points over a team as good as Nebraska. The defense appears to be a lot better than last year's version with defensive coordinator Nick Holt getting his guys flying all over the place; you simply can't run East-West on this team. It's going to take several backs to get the running game going, but as long as John David Booty gets time, the offense will be fine. Dwayne Jarrett played like the All-American he is; Nebraska, especially Andre Jones, couldn't stay with him.

Sept. 2
USC 50 ... Arkansas 14
It took about a half for the USC offense to get on track, and then it exploded as John David Booty threw three second half touchdown passes as part of a 28-point run to make the game a laugher. Arkansas kept it close early on thanks to a one-yard touchdown run from Robert Johnson and some decent defense, but five turnovers, including three fumbles from RB Felix Jones, proved too much to overcome. The Hogs scored midway through the fourth quarter on a one-yard touchdown run from star QB recruit Mitch Mustain, but he threw a late interception that led to a one-yard Allen Bradford touchdown run.
Player of the game ... USC QB John David Booty completed 24 of 35 passes for 261 yards and three touchdowns..
Stat Leaders: USC- Passing: John David Booty, 24-35, 261 yds, 3 TD
Rushing: Emmanuel Moody, 7-58, 1 TD. Receiving: Steve Smith, 5-67
Arkansas - Passing: Robert Johnson, 12-25, 110 yds, 2 INT
Rushing: Felix Jones, 7-48  Receiving: Damian Williams, 4-61
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean Basil? ... Don't forget that last year's team also took a while to get rolling on offense in some games. The Arkansas running game was supposed to give USC a hard time, but the Trojans outgained the Hogs 192 to 130 on the ground and held on to the ball for over 35 minutes. John David Booty looked terrific spreading the ball around, and he was great at using all of his weapons. Who's going to replace Reggie Bush and LenDale White? How about a slew of players with six backs combining for 191 yards. The defense was fast, physical, and impressive.

2006 USC Preview

USC Preview | Offense | Defense | Depth Chart | Further Analysis

USC's toughest foe this season might not be UCLA, Nebraska, or even Notre Dame. It could be the ghost of Miami.

It was just a few short years ago when everyone was hailing the Miami Hurricanes as the greatest team of all time after a dominant national title season culminating in a blowout over Nebraska in the 2002 Rose Bowl. Just as the place in history appeared a foregone conclusion with back-to-back titles, Ohio State, a powerhouse program that hadn't won the national title since 1968, shocked the world in one of the all-time greatest games to end all talk of Miami's claim of being the greatest ever.

USC dominated in a blowout national title game, was praised as the greatest team of all-time, lost in one of the all-time greatest games to a powerhouse program that hadn't won a national title in decades. Will USC fall into the land of the way-above average like Miami did?

It's not like the Hurricanes have been bad over the last few seasons, but college football has a way of making it hard for one team to hang out in the stratosphere for too long. While big-time programs like Miami and USC simply replace all-star talent with more all-star talent, it's hard to get every break needed several years in a row to stay in the national title chase every season.

What if Cal's Aaron Rodgers didn't air mail his pass through the end zone in the 2004 classic loss in Los Angeles? What if Matt Leinart didn't fumble the ball out of bounds on his diving attempt to the end zone in the win over Notre Dame last year? There's a razor-thin margin between being 12-0 and 10-2, but can USC's talent overcome fate? It'll be hard considering USC has to deal with a Spinal Tap drummer array of maladies from injuries to legal issues to potential scandals.

There isn't a more talented roster in America with a who's who of high school all-stars brought in by Pete Carroll, but how many of those top prospects will even play? It's hard to fall too far when you have the best recruiting class in the country two years in a row, but there are big things to worry about like the health of quarterback John David Booty, the issues in the running back corps from injuries to inexperience, and the loss of most of the key players in the secondary. Of course, you don't get better when you lose some of the greatest players in college football history like Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush along with talents like LenDale White, Winston Justice, Taitusi Lutui and Darnell Bing.

Even with all the question marks, the Trojans should be in the mix for yet another national title appearance thanks to great coaching, great players, and a great schedule that's tailor-made for a championship. Then again, the same was said about Miami going into the 2004 season.

The Schedule: There are plenty of tough games, but most of them are at home. While the opener at Arkansas will be tougher than it might seem, five of the six road dates are against teams that didn't go bowling last year. The season finale at UCLA is the exception. Nebraska, Arizona State, Oregon, Cal and Notre Dame should all flirt with the top 15 this year and all could tag USC if things aren't clicking, but once again, all those top teams have to come to L.A. November is a bear playing Oregon, Cal and Notre Dame.

Best Offensive Player: Junior WR Dwayne Jarrett. He can do it all with too much size for most college corners and too much athleticism to be nullified from a double team. He was the best wide receiver in America last year, but now he'll have to shine without Matt Leinart throwing him the ball.

Best Defensive Player: Junior DE Lawrence Jackson. A bit overshadowed by all the superstars on the offensive side, Jackson had a fantastic season making ten sacks and coming up with big play after big play. Can he shine when he's the focus of every blocking scheme? Absolutely. He's more than just a pass rushing specialist, but that's what'll get him All-America recognition.

Key player to a successful season: Senior OT Kyle Williams and sophomore OF Chilo Rachal. Throw junior Alatini Malu in the mix, as well. Much will be made out of the replacements at quarterback and running back, but there are also some big-time shoes to fill on the line of the line with Winston Justice and Taitusi Lutui off to the NFL. The machine could break down in a hurry if Williams, Rachal and Malu don't shine on the right side.

The season will be a success if ... USC plays for the national title. Would just winning the Pac 10 and going to a BCS game be good enough at this point? It should be, but the bar is set ridiculously high after going 54-10 under Pete Carroll and losing two games in three years.

Key game: Sept. 2 at Arkansas. The Hogs are much, much better than they were last year when the Trojans won in a 70-17 laugher. With all the new starters, USC has to come out roaring to prove to itself that the mojo is still there. A close shave, or heaven forbid, a loss to Arkansas would make for a rough two weeks before facing Nebraska.

2005 Fun Stats: 
- Third quarter scoring: USC 178 - Opponents 42
- Third down conversions: USC 92 of 167 (55%) - Opponents 65 of 178 (37%)
- Punt return average: Opponents 17 yards - USC 8.6 yards

The Last Time USC…
…played in a bowl game…2005 (Rose Bowl vs. Texas)
…missed a bowl game…2000
…pitched a shutout…2004 (Washington)
…was shutout…1997 (Washington)
…scored 50 points…2005 (UCLA)
…went undefeated…2004
…won a conference title…2005 (Pac-10)
…had a 3,000-yard passer…2005 (Matt Leinart)
…had a 1,000-yard rusher…2005 (Reggie Bush and LenDale White)
…had a 1,000-yard receiver…2005 (Dwayne Jarrett)
…had a first-round draft choice…2006 (RB Reggie Bush and QB Matt Leinart)