The Road Games

Here we are Trojan fans, on the doorstep of the off-season with just one regular season game to play. A couple weeks ago in the desert, USC narrowly prevailed over Arizona State and then up north, they showed us just how good this offense might really be as they trounced Cal.

But it has actually been a season of relatively few surprises. Often times we look like a great team, and other times we just can’t get out of our own way and the mistakes compound to our detriment. Sadly, for a staff that promised so much change, things don’t feel all too different from this point last year. Sure, we have a couple more wins and a different offensive scheme, but the state of this program is evident week in and week out.

We enter this weeks’ rivalry contest as a double-digit favorite against the Bruins. Would it surprise you if we blew them out by 20-30 points? Not at all. Now would it surprise you if we lost by 14? Not at all. That is my exact issue with where our program stands. We have a quarterback who has thrown for 400+ yards in recent games. We also have a star senior receiver who is a Biletnikoff semi-finalist, and a variety of other players who are real difference makers, yet teams out there know that weaknesses still exist all over our program.

So, what are the keys to winning the last game of the year in the Coliseum? Control the game script, control the emotions, and control three phases of the game. I’d like to see us get out to an electric start and extinguish any hopes of an upset early on. If we find ourselves down early, we could be in trouble as rivalry games are often won on momentum. We have to play disciplined football and not take penalties after the whistle. Emotions will be running high as many players on each team have played against one another from Pop Warner all the way to the Division One level. Lastly, we must not only beat the Bruins offensively. We will need to pressure their quarterback, force long yardage situations, and flip the field with special teams each chance we have.

Putting all the frustrations of the season aside, there is pageantry in this rivalry. Kickoff will come just after Noon on a forecasted 75° day in Los Angeles. Both teams will wear their home uniforms as a part of this tradition. Dr. Arthur C. Bartner will lead the Trojan Marching Band for a final time in the Coliseum, and I hope he is celebrated to the fullest for his many years of leadership. Most importantly the victory bell will be on the sidelines and our seniors, who have given so much the program over 4 to 5 years, will be looking to bring it home. In what could be the last meaningful game until September, and the last game before major changes, USC will look to take care of business and re-establish themselves as the dominant team in LA. I think our guys are more than up to it.

FIGHT ON