There goes the last chance to beat the Trojans - Thanks Beavers

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At least that was my first impression when I watched this game. USC has often started off conference play flat, but then locks down the rest of the season. But this game was different. It started out like a typical USC early season game - mistakes, turnovers, and quick scores by the opponent. But it didn't finish that way.

For the first time since the 2004 game versus Cal, I saw USC's front line get pushed around, not just for a quarter or a half, but consistently all game long, especially its defensive line. I can't believe I am saying this with all the talent on this team - especially the defense - but USC sorely misses a player who graduated last year. That player is Sedrick Ellis. USC's defensive tackles, and particularly its nose tackles in its 3-down look, got plain beat tonight. It wasn't for lack of effort. They were playing hard. They just got ridden hard and left wet, period. Used to seeing guys like Cody, Patterson, and Ellis dominating the middle, this was something we haven't seen in a long time. It was the difference in the game.

All that said, I still spent much of the game amazed at USC's talent all over the field. I don't remember a college team with this much speed and ability at linebacker. Cushing, Maualuga, and Matthews cover as much ground as most safeties, and they literally tower over the runningbacks and receivers they are tackling. Even the reserves are blazers - on one play Kaluka Maiava came all the way from the weakside, across the front of the offensive line and downhill the whole way, like a white streak across the screen, and blew up a sweep going away from him to the other side - and he blew it up before it got to the line of scrimmage. These guys plus DBs Ellison and Mays (the freak of all freak athletes in college football - 6-3 220 safety, 4.32, 6% body fat) are the strength of this defense, rather than the defensive front.

The freak. As big as the nearby lineman.

And then there are the wide receivers. USC was down a bit last year in the department. Well not anymore. Damian Williams and Ronald Johnson are lightning quick and Sarkisian does a great job of using rubs and decoys to get them the ball in space. Now that these two are taking the other team's best corner, Patrick Turner (who was supposed to be the next Mike Williams at 6-5 220 but frankly was considered a bust last year) is getting mismatches and getting open. That's three viable options that look very tough to defend.

Sanchez is a bit a wild card. He reminds me a lot of Riley actually. He's a vocal leader, has a lot of charisma, and can buy time with his feet, but he plays young and misses on throws occasionally. He led them down for a nice drive at the very end, but it was too little too late. And his INT on the previous drive that pretty much iced the game was very Longshore-esque - it was a forced throw that was off the mark in crunch time when they could ill-afford to turn it over. Reminiscent of his shaky play in the loss up at Oregon last year.

One last thing of note. For all their depth, injuries do appear to be taking their toll on USC a bit. Maualuga went out with a knee injury, Cushing has been playing hurt all season, CB Shareece Wright is out 6 weeks, they are young on the o-line due to some injuries, and Sanchez in playing on a gimpy knee. Don't know what effect it had on this game, but if two LBs, a CB and the QB are hurting, it's going to affect things.

So do I think this was the last slip up we'll see from USC? I don't know, but if they stay healthy, from what I have seen so far, the only teams with a chance to beat them are Cal and Oregon, simply because they are balanced and have physical, well-coached lines. ASU's lines are too weak, Arizona's Texas Tech offense plays too much into USC's speed on defense, and everyone else just doesn't have the pieces in place. I think Cal can do it, but they need some big plays in all three phases. You can't grind it out with USC because they can strike so quickly on offense. They need to be under pressure or else they will run away with it. Luckily, Cal has always been able to keep the games close with them, but until now has been unable to get the big plays (that no-call on the Pimentel fumble recovery in 2006 was bush and would have changed that game). Oregon also has a good chance but only if their QB issues are sorted out.

Then again, USC could turn it on and leave everyone in the dust. If that happens, we can all thank the Beavers for spoiling it for the rest of us.