USC-Oregon State Game Day Musings: Postgame

Good lord, nobody saw that coming.

Oregon State dominated from the opening drives (for both teams) and never really let up. USC made it interesting late -- but interesting wasn't good enough.

Before this game there was murmuring that an undefeated Trojan squad might be shut out of the BCS national championship game if a Big 12 and SEC team went undefeated.

And now?

With USC falling to Oregon State, 27-21, Pete Carroll will keep the focus on winning the Pac-10. But USC fans will be moping until a one-loss Oklahoma or Missouri knocks off the other one ... or until every team in the SEC posts a loss. Oh, and Oregon State better be runner-up in the Pac-10 (meaning a victory over a hard-charging Utah next week and 6-1 in the rest of conference play). Otherwise the Trojans will not be booking travel reservations for Miami.

Vegas may have cleaned up on this one, but here's a safe bet for you: Carroll will be talking about a playoff system in a couple of months.

Of course, USC has clawed back into the national title picture from similar holes, but there's no time to think about that now in the Trojan locker room. They're back to that one-game-at-a-time mentality. That's the benefit of Carroll's even-keeled philosophy, which has a "this too shall pass" vibe.

Enough perspective. What the bea-jeaver happened on Thursday night?

USC lost the turnover battle, 2-0, but more importantly lost the time-of-possession battle, 37:49-22:11. That's horrendous. That's why the Trojans lost the game -- for the third time in four trips to Corvallis. It also might have had something to do with an inability to stop the run, especially in critical situations. Add in a poor performance from the Trojans' rushing offense, a weak-sauce conversion rate on third downs (2-for-10), and it adds up to a crushing loss.

Even worse, they may have lost Rey Maualuga. Stay tuned for his injury status.

The only good thing to take away from this is that Mark Sanchez is still a heckuva lot of fun to watch, even in defeat. I wouldn't fault him for the loss. The interception was bad, but he saved USC's hopes on several occasions. This was a team loss, and they will pay for it in the polls.

More postgame analysis in the days (and weeks) to come. For now, we'll go back to my favorite cliche:

That's why they play the games.

-- Adam Rose
Photo by Wally Skalij/L.A. Times

Comments

[scott k]

As an OSU alum, a very sweet win tonight. For USC, though, what is the matter? All that talent and nothing to show for it, year after year after year after year .... It goes to show that recruiting alone doesn't get you national championships. It takes determination and consistent play week after week. I just don't see the mental toughness with the Trojans. The players are soft and overconfident. If the team was half as good as they think they are, they could beat God. They are like Notre Dame -- winning the recruiting wars doesn't translate into being #1 on the field.

[mark Randall]

go ducks

[Jerry Mathers]

Go Beavs! Go Cardinal! Go Bruins!

Nice interception by Erik Estrada.

Joe McFumble chokes!

Goodbye BCS.

[chuck]

I know they have Mitch Mustain from Arkansas but whats with the cutie stuff and that wildhog formation? Pete you should no better. Uh Bill do you still think they can win the NC?

[Joy McReynolds]

What a sweet win! Beavers kicked trojan butt! No one knows the pain of big losses better that this 1986 alum of OSU, so this is fabulous!
Trojans once again didn't take our team seriously. They are soft, pampered, and not ready for the BCS caliber teams. They'd better get their act together or they'll be watching the championship game on their HDTV's in South Central.
O V E R - R A T E D..O V E R - R A T E D..O V E R - R A T E D

[oakmonster]

Like Mark Sanchez was quoted earlier, "We're not ready yet." I didn't think we were either. But Sanchez, you got dirty and down with your badass self today, papi. Just didn't quite get the rest of the team to go with you tonight.

If I remember correctly, when Maualuga first started, he was kind of a hot headed hot shot and made tons of costly mistakes too. But he grew to be THE Maualuga.

In the same fashion, Uncle Pete needs to smack Butterfinger Joe McFlashy over the head and send him to a meditation camp. The guy needs to calm down. Learn to be still and get focus. Lighting isn't affective if it's not focused.

Fight on, team. You guys did come back strong. Way to hold on.

Now, let me get back to my wine...

[Beaver Believer]

Truth be told, quite a few saw this coming, although the outcome on the '06 game was more of a sure bet. The Beaver offense is quite good and capable of scoring points on anyone. The defense is a bit shaky, after having lost 7 starters. Losing K Alexis Serna was a big loss as well. I don't think anyone anticipated the Beavers going up by 21 early, but the outcome shouldn't be as much of a surprise is some make it out to be.

Can you imagine what Mike Riley would do with the talent USC has?

[Krs]

Joy. You're an idiot. OSU is 2-2 and has no hope of going anywhere in the next few years. On top of that, the school is TERRIBLE.

Congratulations for a) winning a football game and b) having a terrible life.

[Al Bundy]

To Scott K., who probably flunked out of podunk OSU, what do you mean year after year with nothing to show for it? Get off the dope. USC has a whole history of national championships.....very recently and in the past. What does OSU have? Besides ugly girls, that is......

[Ricardo B.]

The Trojans will continue to underachieve as long as the cancerous Steve Sarkisian remains with the team. For SC's sake Pete, please, FIRE SARKISIAN!

[Ricardo]

FIRE STEVE SARKISIAN ALREADY!!!!!!!!!

[OverRated]

Who is over rated?

[Sark Hater]

USC dozed through the first half, but showed encouraging signs of life in the second -- until Sarkasian's tepid play-calling, which kept the team off the boards in the first half, zapped the life right back out of 'em. Still, 'SC had every chance to win the game in the fourth, but 'ol Sark was still determined to establish the run. Here's a hint, pal: If it ain't working after three quarters, it probably won't work in the fourth. Is there such a thing as a neocon offensive coordinator?

I knew Norm Chow. Coach, you're no Norm Chow.

[Joy]

This was the best game I've seen in a long time! I've hated the Trojans since the 80's when they beat down OSU 63-3.
REVENGE IS SWEET!

[Adam Rose]

I wouldn't say 2006 was a sure bet, but it certainly was inevitable that USC would drop a game like that.

Before the 2008 season started, I called Oregon State the biggest trap game for USC. But this week, I reversed course and predicted USC would win 34-10 (both predictions were on a podcasts with SportsHubLA.com if you're eager to verify my lousy prediction).

After inconsistent play by the Beavers and USC's dominance in their first two games ... who REALLY could have seen this coming?

[HBC]

What happened? They got whooped on both sides of the line. That's what happens when you start believing all the articles that say you're the best team ever, etc. I'm an SC fan and I saw it coming because I've seen it the past couple of years. How quickly we forget . . .

[humbledSC]

Ok , all the wanta bee trojan fans can now get off the SC bandwagon...Your winner of a team , got their rears handed to them tonight !!. GO home now and put your 10 dollar jerseys away until next year, you front-runners !!.
Over-rated again.
They couldn't catch the little freshman tailback ( Quizzie).
THe beavers wanted it more ..... and they prevailed..

[smrr]

lou holtz said it on pregame of week 2. pac 10 is a touuuuugghhhh conference to go undefeated in.

brutal

[Bill King]

This is like a broken record. "No, we won't lose focus." Maybe the players didn't lose focus, but the Trojans were out game-planned (is that a verb?) by the Beavers. Scott K is right on: better talent doesn't equate to performance on the field. It's one thing to "not see this one coming," but when the red flags are waving ferociously, how do you miss it?

[Beaver Believer]

Adam, I think those who follow Beaver football know well that they had at least a fair chance of winning this game. Their fans know that, for whatever reason, Riley's teams need some runway before they start to play well together and that has been the case this year just as it was last year with Canfield at the con. I suspect that Q and J Rodgers, Stroughter, Shane Morales and Moevao are as talented a group of offensive playmakers as the Trojans will see all year. As I said, the defense is suspect and their kicking game is an unqualified disaster, at least so far.

If you review results from the past three years, you'll see that Riley's teams don't quit, either. I think this is a tribute to the coach and his teams. You could say the same for the Trojans.

Going up like they did in the first half was a surprise; I don't thank anyone anticipated that. Their winning the game shouldn't be the surprise the media makes it out to be, however. Those who follow the team know.

I'm not surprised by the outcome and I don't think their fans are, either. This is a good team and they have been for 3-4 years now. I think OSU has done a great job bolstering their football and baseball teams.

Basketball is a different story........

[Hee hee]

I hope this will make those arrogant Trojan fans shut up!! Nothing like eating humble pie to help kick off the season to a good start.

[Trojan Believer]

All these comments saying "we knew we'd win this" make me laugh. No one knew this would happen. Of course it was possible, no one ever stays at #1 for long. Arrogant USC fans? That's a laugh coming from OSU fair-weather fans.

Point is, our defense got run over tonight. The guys need to watch themselves on the tapes, learn from it, and get back out there and show everyone what they are really made of. Forget the ratings, the National scene, focus on the PAC-10 and just do what we all know they can do.

[Bob]

You can't get a dimwitted USC jock strap, er uh, athletic supporter to face the fact that they deserved to lose and are not the best team in the nation. Face it, you and your ilk were wrong, everyone who said USC wasn't going to go undefeated this year were on the money. So much for all the talk about the weak PAC-10 by the SC whiners and how it would hurt their chances in the BCS. Explain it to me again, how did last night's performance help their chances?

[Tommy Trojan]

So sorry arrogant USC fans! Make it two of the past three years you have gone to the Valley of Death for a loss. Take your Trojan gear and flags on your cars and shirts and place them back in the closet - so sad for you - no really.

[ben]

mark sanchez = dirty sanchez courtesy of the great state of Oregon.