Football Questions - Oregon State Edition

• Would one tailback please stand up? This week's immovable object is the Oregon State rushing defense, which leads the nation with 54.5 yards allowed per game. Their 1.6 yards per attempt is less than a third of USC's 5-yard per rush average on the other side of the ball. Maybe tailback-by-committee is working by confusing the other team.
• Will the offensive play-calling improve? Now that John David Booty is back, the offense should be a little more aggressive. Under the right circumstances, will we see the shotgun? Or how about more than one catch by Fred Davis?
• Will homecoming bring home-field advantage? USC has averaged 86,913 fans over four home games this season. This game is a sellout again, but the team would probably appreciate those 92,000 ticket holders actually getting to their seats and making some noise.
• Can USC ever fix the mental game? The team's website has a video of players undergoing hypnosis, and sports psychology may be important for a squad that's dead last in the league in turnovers, penalties, and opponent penalties (not that they can do anything about that last one).
• Can special teams take advantage? Oregon State is one of the worst special teams programs in the Pac-10 (last in punting, second to last in both kickoff and punt returns). USC has struggled all year (last in PATs, second to last in punting average) but is starting to turn the corner in punt returns.
• Can USC survive a game? The most common weekly question. The last couple weeks weren't bad compared with early in the season, but Sam Baker did re-injure himself and the offensive line is still a little rag-tag.
• Factoids: By now you probably know that USC is 20-0 in November under Carroll, which is the last of the major streaks (and nowhere near as cool as the others). USC is also going for win number 750.

Comments

[Gerrrg]

They're going to say that USC dominated this game. I say that USC's offense fell asleep in the second half, and thank goodness the defense played lights out ALL NIGHT LONG. Defense kept USC in the Oregon game and kept Stanford from making an Appalachian statement.
Three straight three-and-outs in the third quarter, five punts and no score in the second half. The third quarter was a dead quarter with the yards going backwards on offense.
Whether it's the players or the play calling, they cannot keep doing this if they want to play in a BCS game in January.

[cardinal and fool's gold]

BCS game in January?
That train has left the station.