This stretch run should be very fun with the Trojans.

I'm excited by that Defense that was ferocious on SAT vs. The Beavs. The offense has shown signs of life and I am optimistic they can put together 3 or 4 solid quarters.

It's depressing to see 'SC ranked at #17 in the BCS and behind UConn and Hawaii. The Trojans best win was against Oregon State at home so not much of a case to be higher.
Here are my bowl projection probabilities foir USC:

Rose: 20%
Other BCS Bowl: 25%
Holiday Bowl: 25%
Sun Bowl: 15%
Las Vegas:10%
Emerald: 5%

well, good points scott

I doubt there will ever be a QB controversy since Sanchez lost to the quackers. So he can't be "a savior" that everyone will be clamoring for.

Which is good since we don't need one of those.

I agree the running backs are misused. Why did they say Stafon couldn't play? Those doctors handle the players with kid gloves sometimes, it seems. They are big guys let them play football even if they are not 110%

I don't think Chauncey should play, either. But he paid his dues, including out of his own pocket for tuition. What kind of message would that send if we sat him in favor of Johnson?

I have no idea what the problem is with the O-line either. 8 or 9 games is enough time to "gel" and the sad part is, this should of been our best O-line since 2005 with Baker Byers O'Dowd Rachal Radovich. Baker Radovich and probably Rachal are leaving. Maybe Ruel has one last trick up his sleeve.

Told ya about everson griffen, he just needed a little time to catch on.

Was the man-to-man defense that responsible for shutting down Oregon State’s offense?

YES

I bitched about the soft cover-2 zone at the start of the year. it just wastes the talent of T2 and Harris. Maybe there is hope yet!! Maybe stodgy ol' Petey and Sark are going to change things...

Is anyone else waiting for a fumble on these punt returns?

My stomach is in upheaval on every punt...

Speaking of Grades, Why no coverage of the secret basketball scrimmage between USC and CS Fullerton?

Well, here is what happened:
Titans win 80-76 in regulation (10min zone session added score was 102-97 titans..)
Fullerton top scorers
Josh Akgnon 28pts 25mins (11-19, 6-13 3pters)
Frank Robinson 20pts 17mins (9-15, 2-3 3pters)
Marcus Crenshaw 16pts 20mins (6-12, 3-7 3pters)

USC top scorers
Mayo 27pts 29mins (9-15, 2-4 3's, 7-8ft)
Davon Jefferson 16pts 21mins (7-13 2-4ft)
Angelo Johnson 17pts 43mins(6-12, 3-8 3's,2-3fts)

O.J. Mayo, Southern Cal's highly touted 6-5 freshman guard and likely 2008 NBA lottery pick, was as good as advertised. Just about every one of Cal State Fullerton's players ended up guarding him at some point.

That's the kind of defense Pete should have played from the get-go. Playing not to lose really hurt SC this season. Hopefully, Pete can dial up similar pressure versus a hobbled Nate Longshore this weekend. I've got a better chance of going back in time and beating Edwin Moses in the 400 hurdles than Longshore has of breaking free of the rush and scrambling for any significant yardage against this defense. Just make sure the safeties stay at home to guard against Jackson and Hawkins and Longshore will be toast.

Has Scott ever given an A on these grades before? Holy smokes.

Scott, Joe McKNights problem is not running sideways, it's players in the backfield when he gets the ball. Then he runs sideways and makes a couple miss and gets tackled behind the line. but he also makes some dog gone good runs if they ever give him running room.

No kidding, his grades are always so predictable and uninsightful....C-, C, C+, C-, C-, C, C-. I love Wolfie's reporting, but get annoyed that it is so apparent that he has never played a down of football in his life. The grade that he misses on the most, IMO, was for the O-line. OSU had the best D-line that we will face this year, and our slow-footed QB was only sacked twice with Chauncey rushing for over 5 yards a pop. We almost doubled OSU's avg rushing yards allowed, and although our #s are not spectacular, I believe that the O-line played well without Baker and deserves a B+.

I think there should be half grades for this game since there were two different teams out there - one in the first half that scored 24 and the other that scored none. Although the defense was great basically pitched another shutout if Booty didnt put OSU in auto-FG territory.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: balls tend to sail and/or dropped due to one thing - excess adrenaline. That is the difference between practice and games - ask Allen Iverson. Of course, its easier diagnosed than fixed, but it can't be impossible.

Get these young WRs/RBs (and 5th yr senior Booty, for some strange reason,) to practice on Monster drinks or something, so they have the extra jitters and pop on the ball that they will have in the game. Why can't this be better simulated in practice? Maybe send Ellis and Lo-Jack after him more. Or at the very least, Sark stands nearby and yells in Booty's ear 'Here I come...BAM!' just as he releases the ball; ya know, to simulate a large DE charging at him. If everyone is too relaxed in practice, it doesn't translate as well to the game. Am I missing something?

As far as the O-line goes, we need them to continue to improve for us to go 3-0 over the last 3 here. If Baker can return in time for ASU, its just one more game without him to survive. Oh, and the shotgun seems to suit Booty well and keep him off his back, so let's keep doing that, pretty please.

And mix in Stafon more - he's the most explosive all-round RB we have, with Chauncey and JoeM. as changes of pace.

Why do you always grade previous games when coming up with your comments. You don't let anything go do you Scott? Prob why you write so much garbage about 'SC because the staff thinks of you as a tabloid writer.

It wasn't a ferocious D that stopped OSU. Oregon State's QB is just awful right now! He played worse than Sanchez!