Pac 10 Preview: USC rated 1st, of course

by Graham Filler on Jun 22, 2008 7:20 AM PDT

USC is rated 1st in The Rivalry's Pac 10 preseason rankings. Here are some excerpts of the preview:

Matt Leinart. Reggie Bush. Pete Carroll. USC is not a bad place to play football right now. But let us not forget that just 9 years ago, USC was a 5-7 last place team lacking an identity. USC, the school of Tailback U, the Perfect Day, and Marcus Allen, has taken monster steps in the last 6 years to becoming a perennial Top 5 team.
One half of The Rivalry, Esq. believes that USC’s quarterback will be too inexperienced and the Buckeye’s have the advantage. The other half believes that USC’s athletes can overcome any QB weakness and overwhelm the immobile Todd Boeckman. Either way, this “Game of the Century” is slated to be the top college football match up of 2008. Check out the Preview at:

Check out the Preview at:

http://therivalryesq.blogspot.com/

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Conquest Chronicles' writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Conquest Chronicles' writers or editors.

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Speed kills

USC has matched up well against Big 10 teams in the past. The linemen are usually big and slow, and run out of gas in the 2nd half. Just ask Iowa, Illinois, and MIchigan how they liked going up against Trojan defenses. All I have to say to the Buckeyes is “Buckeyes… meet Rey….... Rey meet Buckeyes.”

by frak on Jun 23, 2008 7:36 PM PDT reply actions

I'd feel a lot better if. . .

. . . we scheduled OSU as this year’s first game of the season. Why? A few years ago when we were just finding our identity, we had Auburn as our 1st BIG game of the season, and remember VTech too? BigBallsPete with a month to prepare? Fuggitaboudit! Easy money wins. And then there’s last year. . . . . . .

Idaho. Idaho? Yeah, that IDAHO game. We played “average” out of the gates and it seems it took us a little while to get back to where we were “supposed” to be, the Nebraska game notwithstanding. (we spanked them, but LOST all those players to injuries that game too).

I think I picked Virginia as our “trap” game, this is why.

If we’re preparing our upcoming season loosely based around our early season matchup vs. OSU, I think we’re likely to see a similar evolution of play, maturity, diligence to PC’s system from our players (and some on the staff- read: Coach Sark). At least that’s how I see it.

by BixBeiderbecke on Jun 27, 2008 9:11 AM PDT reply actions

Biggest regular season game ever?

USC has won 7 straight games VS BigTen teams the last 12 years or so hopefully we can make it 8 against theOSU!

by sharpie20 on Jun 28, 2008 11:33 PM PDT reply actions

Watch Cal win the Pac-Ten

and upset you guys on the road. This year is our year, for one reason: No one expects us to do anything. Our team is known as not being able to handle huge expectations (look at what happened last year). This year, there are absolutely no expectations=ROSE BOWL.

by RollOnYouBears667 on Jun 30, 2008 1:03 PM PDT reply actions

You guys goota beat Oregon St first

If Riley learns how to handle the clock, maybe Cal will have a chance.

by frak on Jun 30, 2008 2:21 PM PDT reply actions

May I remind you

that that was Riley’s first game EVER? Freshmen are people too, and they make mistakes. And your completely right, the past few years (Arizona ‘06, Oregon State ‘07) we haven’t taken care of games that are absolutely unforgivable to lose. But, like I said before, I think it was the weight of all of the expectations at Cal that caused them to choke. This year, no expectations, new start, new offensive coordinator, and the fastest RB in the Pac-Ten, I say top 3 Pac-Ten at least.

by RollOnYouBears667 on Jul 1, 2008 1:14 PM PDT up reply actions

It remains to be seen

Just how effective Riley will be. Is he the starter now? I hadn’t heard if Tedford decided on who the QB is going to be. I highly doubt that Cal will upset USC at the Coliseum. We are more prone to be upset by a crappy team like Washington.

by frak on Jul 2, 2008 10:43 AM PDT up reply actions

Or Stanford

The game at Memorial last year vs. Cal was an insane game! All the way up until Chauncey got popped at the goal line and fumbled, it could have gone either way. And I don’t know much about Riley, but that Nate Longshore has got a cannon for an arm. A cannon.

He has better accuracy and a way better gun than Booty. Booty has an excellent read of defenses, but at times telegraphed his passes.

I’m not sure I buy this “expectation” thing. Everyone has expectations, whether they are obvious or not. The PAC 10 is the league of champions, and that goes for football too. Everyone is gunning for ‘SC, and like last year- everyone wanted to knock Tedford off his high-horse as far as being an offensive genius. That story is played out. He has to put up or shut up like all the other PAC 10 coaches chasing BigBallsPete’s jock.

We’ll see you Bears this year, and hopefully put some serious dent in whatever swagger you guys care to bring.

by BixBeiderbecke on Jul 2, 2008 11:02 AM PDT up reply actions

Longshore

may have a cannon for an arm, but he choked so bad in every pressure 4th quarter situation last year. For that reason alone, he might be replaced.

by frak on Jul 2, 2008 12:38 PM PDT up reply actions

Yep, that's true

And that’s the very reason why Bear’s fans from far and wide wanna see Riley get his shot. It seems that Tedford’s got a soft spot for Longshore though, not sure where they’re gonna go with the QB this year. I just want us to beat the Cardinals and Bears year in and year out. It’s a family thing. My sisters are alums of both schools and they hate losing to us.

by BixBeiderbecke on Jul 2, 2008 1:44 PM PDT up reply actions

Oh come on why troll here.

Although I agree with him on the expectations thing. I believe we will finish top 3. Maybe 2nd. I think you guys are just too good this season. Maybe next ;)

And Tedford didn’t get knocked off anywhere. Our team just sort of… unravelled.

In other words, Go Bears!

by royrules22 on Jul 2, 2008 9:12 PM PDT up reply actions