2008 USC Trojans football team
Encyclopedia
The 2008 University of Southern California Trojans football team (variously "Trojans" or "USC") represented the University of Southern California
during the college football
season of 2008–2009. The team was coached by Pete Carroll
and played their home games at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
with a decisive Rose Bowl
victory, #2 ranking in the Coaches Poll
and #3 ranking (with one first-place vote) in the AP Poll
. In January 2008, immediately after the bowl season, USC was ranked at #4 by Sports Illustrated
online and #5 by ESPN.com
; the general opinion was that while the Trojans were facing key player departures, the losses were mitigated by the overall talent level of the program. Georgia
was ranked as the early pre-season #1 team. Sports Illustrated and ESPN.com soon revised their rankings to #3 and #4, respectively, after nearly all draft-eligible juniors decided to remain with the program instead of entering the NFL Draft
. Going into the spring, USC ranked as the premiere team in the Pac-10 Conference, taking advantage of a deep talent pool, including a number of talented running backs holding over from the previous season.
The Trojans' biggest question entering spring practices was who would take over the starting quarterback position from John David Booty
. Junior Mark Sanchez
entered spring practice as the acknowledged leader, having started three games the previous season due to an injury to Booty, winning two; however, Arkansas
-transfer and former Razorback starter Mitch Mustain
had the most college game experience, having started and won eight games for the 2006 Razorbacks team
his freshman year while putting on an impressive performance on the scout team
in the 2007 season during the NCAA-mandated waiting period. Both Sanchez (2005) and Mustain (2006) were considered the top quarterback in the nation coming out of their respective high school classes. The Trojans entered spring with a number of qualified running backs, but not quite as many as in 2007. Battling for the starting position were top returners Junior Stafon Johnson
(673 yards) and sophomore Joe McKnight
(540 yards); but challenging them would be redshirt sophomore C.J. Gable
, who started five games as a freshman in 2006 and the first two of 2007 before a season-ending injury, junior Allen Bradford, as well as previously injured redshirt freshman Broderick Green and Marc Tyler
. All six running backs earned Parade
or USA Today
All-American honors in high school, four earned both. Questions remained around the wide receivers, who had struggled with consistency the previous season; all starters returned, with special attention focused on Arkansas transfer Damian Williams, who caught 19 passes for the Razorbacks in 2006 but sat out 2007 along with fellow Arkansas teammate Mustain. The offensive line was hit hard by graduation, returning only one starter. The defense lost several important players to graduation, but the linebacker corp returned key players such as Brian Cushing
and Rey Maualuga
.
By the end of spring practice, the USC coaching staff announced that Sanchez would be the designated starting quarterback going into fall camp. A crowd of 22,000 watched the Trojan Huddle, USC's spring game that ends spring practices, where Sanchez, Mustain and redshirt freshman Aaron Corp all performed well against Trojan defenses; the White team defeated Cardinal, 39–36, in double overtime. With a number of talented linebackers, the Carroll and defensive coordinator Nick Holt
began experimenting with using a 3-4 defense variation implementing the "Elephant Position", which features a hybrid end/linebacker position. The Trojans had used Cushing in the Elephant position during the 2006 season
before returning to their traditional 4-3 during the 2007 season. In the 2008 variation, the position was filled by senior Clay Matthews, a former walk-on. After spring practices finished across the nation, Sports Illustrated revised its rankings and placed USC as the #3 team, behind Georgia and Ohio State; while ESPN ranked the Trojans #4, behind Ohio State, Georgia and Oklahoma. The running back tandem of Stafon Johnson and Joe McKnight was compared to the "Thunder and Lightning" combination of LenDale White
and Reggie Bush
, with McKnight mentioned as a top ten Heisman Trophy
contender going into the fall.
At the Pacific-10 Conference media day, the Trojans were the near-unanimous pre-season pick to win the conference. USC took 38 of 39 first-place votes; California
, which were picked to finish fourth in the overall standings, received the other vote. This was USC's sixth year in a row as the favorite to win the conference title, the longest streak since the Trojans 18-year run from 1965–1982.
On the release of the preseason Coaches' Poll, USC was ranked #2 in the nation, behind the 2008 Georgia
team: Georgia received 1438 points with 22 first-place votes while USC received 1430 points with 14 first-place votes. Meanwhile, the 2008 Ohio State
team was ranked third with 1392 points but an equal number of first-place votes with 14. The preseason Associated Press (AP) Poll
ranked USC #3 in the nation, behind Georgia and Ohio State. USC received 12 first-place votes and 1490 points, compared to Georgia's 22 first-place votes and 1528 points and Ohio State's 21 first-place votes and 1506 points. Both polls added to the interest in the OSU-USC game on September 13.
A major concern arose in the first week of fall camp, when Sanchez suffered a dislocated left kneecap while warming up for practice. Trainers were able to immediately put the kneecap back into place, but the injury sidelined Sanchez and threw his availability for the season opener at Virginia
(and beyond) into question. As a result, Mustain and redshirt freshman Aaron Corp
began alternating repetitions with the first team offense and competing for the possible starting spot. After missing nearly three weeks, Sanchez was cleared to play in the opener on the final day of fall camp; Corp was selected as his back-up.
The biggest issue facing the team entering the season was how the rebuilt offensive line would perform, though it had improved over the course of fall camp. Sanchez, Cushing, offensive lineman Jeff Byers, and senior safety Kevin Ellison
were elected team captains
by their teammates.
In the week preceding the regular season, all twelve experts polled by ESPN
picked USC to win the Pac-10 conference, and three expected them to make it to the BCS National Championship Game
with two expecting them to prevail. All seven experts polled by Sports Illustrated
picked USC to win their conference, with three forecasting them in the Championship Game with one selecting them to prevail. Rivals.com
's panel of four experts unanimously picked USC to play in the title game.
Junior transfer Steve Gatena, former United States Air Force Academy
Class of 2008 Cadet, transferred in from UC Davis as an offensive left tackle. Gatena was required to sit out one season by NCAA rules. However, due to his academic standing as a graduate student, Gatena was granted a one time transfer exception for pursuing his academic career and played as the second string left tackle in the season opener against Virginia.
Jordan Cameron, the uncle of Matt Leinart
's son with USC basketball player Brynn Cameron, transferred in from Ventura College
. A former freshman basketball
player from Brigham Young University
, Cameron attempted to transfer before the 2007 season to also play football as a wide receiver. However, when some of Cameron's units from Brigham Young did not transfer to USC, he needed to withdraw and attend Ventura College, missing the season but with the option to try to rejoin the team in 2008 (regardless, he would have been ineligible to play in 2007 due to NCAA transfer rules).
Sam Baker (offensive tackle), John Mackey Award
-winner Fred Davis
(tight end), Sedrick Ellis
(nose tackle), and Keith Rivers
(linebacker), as well as first team all-conference defensive end Lawrence Jackson
, 2006 first team all-conference quarterback John David Booty
and second team all-conference defensive back Terrell Thomas
, the Trojans also lost junior All-Conference offensive guard Chilo Rachal
to the 2008 NFL Draft
. Pac-10 conference honorable mention offensive linemen Drew Radovich
and Matt Spanos
, tailback Chauncey Washington
, and linebacker Thomas Williams
also departed.
game, a 24–7 Trojans victory, embattled Bruins head coach Karl Dorrell
was fired. His replacement was former UCLA quarterback Rick Neuheisel
, who held previous head coach positions at both Colorado
and Washington
where he led teams to overall successful records but his departures coincided with NCAA investigations at both universities. Within a month on the job, Neuheisel attracted attention by hiring former USC offensive coordinator Norm Chow
as his offensive coordinator. While with Trojans from 2001–2004, Chow led the offense to the 2003
and 2004
national championships and saw quarterbacks Carson Palmer
and Matt Leinart
win the Heisman Trophy
. The hire of Chow injected a new level of drama to the rivalry that had somewhat stagnated under Dorrell.
Nearly the entire USC coaching staff returned from the 2007 season, with the only change being a different Graduate Assistant working with the secondary.
Cavaliers
of the Atlantic Coast Conference
(ACC) under Al Groh
in the first ever game between the two programs and first USC game in Virginia. Virginia went 9–4 in 2007
, but off-season losses to both the NFL and unexpected issues left the Cavaliers ranked fifth-out-of-six teams in the ACC's Coastal Division in the preseason. Five UVA players were arrested during the off-season and five other players were dismissed from the team because of academic reasons.
The game was described as possibly the biggest home opener for Virginia at Scott Stadium
. Groh noted that he was pleased the game opened his team's schedule due to USC's ability and the general distraction it would otherwise pose to conference play: "It's as good a time as any in that we only wanted to play it in the first game, and they only wanted to play it in the first game." Virginia entered the game having gone 3–4 in opening games under Groh.
Scoring three touchdowns in the first quarter was all USC needed to beat up on the Cavaliers at their home field. Quarterback Mark Sanchez
threw for 338 yards, CJ Gable ran for 73 yards, and Ronald Johnson had 78 yards in receiving. The No. 3 Trojans got off to a good start, thanks to the Virginia turnovers.
USC continued their undefeated streak in openers away from home under Carroll.
, the Trojans hosted the Ohio State Buckeyes of the Big Ten Conference
under head coach Jim Tressel
. USC or Ohio State had played in five of the last six BCS title games. The non-conference game between two perennial powers had potential national championship implications for either program. A historic rivalry existed between the two teams: Between 1968-84, they met six times in the Rose Bowl and determined the eventual National Champion in three of those contests. The teams had not faced one another since September 29, 1990, when Todd Marinovich
led the Trojans to a 35–26 victory in Ohio Stadium
in a game that was called because of a thunderstorm
with 2 minutes 36 seconds to play.
By the end of the 2007-08 season, the game garnered interest as a possible early-season battle between top-10 teams. By the beginning of the season it was named as the most anticipated regular-season game of 2008. The winning team was assumed to have an inside track to the national title game, though, given recent trends in the title game, the loser also had a reasonable chance as well. In naming it the top potentially season-defining game of 2008, Sports Illustrated highlighted a theme of credibility: Ohio State enters the game trying to move past the BCS title game losses of the previous two seasons and USC enters trying to show it remains highly competitive with its new starting quarterback and four of five new players on the offensive line. The game was also viewed as a possible Heisman Trophy showdown, primarily between Ohio State's running back Chris "Beanie" Wells
and USC's Sanchez. During the preseason Pac-10 Media Day, Carroll noted that "It's games like this that make us."
The Buckeyes featured a combination of quarterbacks: Fifth-year senior and All-Big-Ten quarterback Todd Boeckman
continued to start for the Buckeyes, however in 2008 he was supplemented by highly regarded true-freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor
. The combination aimed to use Boeckman's prowess as a classic drop-back passer with Pryor's speed and ability to scramble for yards. The Trojans had particular concerns about Pryor, who had many of capabilities that made previous athletic scrambling quarterbacks, such as Dennis Dixon
, Jake Locker
and Vince Young
, difficult for the defense to contain. The Buckeyes came in with a strong defense, led by All-American and Butkus Award
-winning linebacker James Laurinaitis
and cornerback Malcolm Jenkins
. Both linebacking corps, highlighted by the Buckeyes' Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman as well as the Trojans' Rey Maualuga and Brian Cushing, were considered the best in the country. One of the major storylines entering the game surrounded the health of Ohio State's star running back, Beanie Wells. Well injured his foot in the Buckeyes' opener, and sat out the second game of the season. Early during the week of the game he was cleared to play against the Trojans; however by the Thursday his presence assessed as doubtful after he experienced soreness in his foot one day after returning to practice.
Although scheduled for the third week of the season, the game was the primary focus of fan and media attention for both programs. Ticket prices rose to levels from $100 to $5,000 apiece. The game received heightened attention in national sports news when USC alumnus and starting quarterback for the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals
, Carson Palmer
told a radio show "I cannot stand the Buckeyes and having to live in Ohio and hear those people talk about their team, it drives me absolutely nuts[. . .] I just can't wait for this game to get here so they can come out to the Coliseum and experience L.A. and get an old-fashioned, Pac-10 butt-whupping." While Tressel defended Palmer's comments as those of fan, Ohio State fans were incensed. In the week before the game, Buckeyes wide receiver Ray Small stated that USC lacked the "class" of Ohio State, noting that "[A] t Ohio State, they teach you to be a better man. There, it's just all about football," further nothing that he felt that USC was "not even serious about the game." Sideline passes were in high demand, with celebrities such as Denzel Washington
and Jamie Foxx
in attendance.
USC and Ohio State opened the preseason ranked No. 2 and 3 in both the AP and Coaches Polls, swapping positions in each. After the Trojans' strong performance against Virginia, USC rose to No. 1 and Ohio State ranked No. 3 in both polls. However, after Ohio State struggled in their week 2 win against an unregarded Ohio
team, they fell to No. 5 in both polls while USC remained No. 1. By game week the Trojans were considered 10-point favorites.
, in Corvallis, Oregon. On their previous visit to Reser Stadium
, during the 2006 season
, the Beavers defeated the Trojans, 33–31, in a major upset; as such, the game was mentioned in the preseason as a possible upset for the Trojans.
Freshman Jacquizz Rodgers (#1) ran for 186 yards and two touchdowns for OSU, USC quarterback Mark Sanchez (#6) passed for 227 yards, and Damian Williams (#18) caught 80 yards for the top ranked Trojans in an upset loss.
Oregon State was the only Pac-10 Conference school to have beaten USC twice during the Pete Carroll
era, until Oregon and Stanford equaled the feat in 2009.
, in his first year with the Cardinal, garnered attention by first stating that 2007 was going to be Carroll's last year at USC, then, during the Pac-10 media day, that USC "may be the best team in the history of college football." The Cardinal then stunned the Trojans in a major upset
, 24–23, ending the Trojans' 35-game home winning streak and causing a major obstacle to the Trojans national title hopes. During the 2008 Pac-10 media day, noted that the aftermath of the Cardinal's victory over USC was "water under the bridge." Given the previous season, before the season it was named as a game to watch by ESPN.com.
Before the season this game garnered interest in seeing how new Bruins' coach Rick Neuheisel
would do in his battle to gain supremacy in Los Angeles.
Joe McKnight
(12-yard run), Damian Williams
(12-yard pass from Mark Sanchez
), Stafon Johnson
(2-yard run) and Patrick Turner (18-yard pass from Sanchez) scored for the Trojans. Sanchez passed for 269 yards, McKnight ran for 99 yards and Turner caught for 81 yards.
A fumble recovery turned into a pass reception touchdown by Kahlil Bell in the beginning of the game was all the scoring by the Bruins
in this the latest cross-town rivalry game. UCLA Quarterback Kevin Craft
completed 11 out of 28 passes for a total of 89 yards and had one pass intercepted.
Going into the game, the Trojans were set to be, at worst, co-Pac-10 Champions with Oregon State. However, after the win over UCLA and Oregon State's loss the same day, the Trojans became the Pac-10 Champions for the seventh straight year and qualified for the Rose Bowl
, played on January 1, 2009. Linebacker Rey Maualuga
was named Pac-10 defensive player of the year.
. Of the twelve, Josh Pinkard applied for and was granted a sixth season of eligibility by the NCAA and opted to stay at USC for another season. Of the eleven players who attended the Combine, all were drafted by the end of the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft
. USC topped the total number of draftees for the second consecutive season.
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
during the college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
season of 2008–2009. The team was coached by Pete Carroll
Pete Carroll
Peter Clay Carroll is the head coach and executive Vice-President of the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He is a former head coach of the New York Jets, New England Patriots and the University of Southern California Trojans football team.-Early life:Carroll attended Redwood High...
and played their home games at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
Pre-season outlook
The Trojans finished the 2007 season2007 USC Trojans football team
The 2007 University of Southern California Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California during the college football season of 2007–2008, winning a share of the Pacific-10 Conference Championship and winning the 2008 Rose Bowl...
with a decisive Rose Bowl
2008 Rose Bowl
The 2008 Rose Bowl Game presented by Citi, the 94th Rose Bowl Game, played on January 1, 2008 at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California, was a college football bowl game. The contest was televised on ABC, the 20th straight year the network aired the Rose Bowl, starting at 4:30pm EST...
victory, #2 ranking in the Coaches Poll
Coaches Poll
The USA Today Coaches' Poll is the current name for a weekly ranking of the top 25 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and Division I college basketball teams....
and #3 ranking (with one first-place vote) in the AP Poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
. In January 2008, immediately after the bowl season, USC was ranked at #4 by Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
online and #5 by ESPN.com
ESPN.com
ESPN.com is the official website of ESPN and a division of ESPN Inc. Since launching in 1995 as ESPNet.SportsZone.com, the website has developed numerous sections including: Page 2, SportsNation, ESPN 3.com, ESPN Motion, My ESPN, ESPN Sports Travel, ESPN Video Games, ESPN Insider, ESPN.com's...
; the general opinion was that while the Trojans were facing key player departures, the losses were mitigated by the overall talent level of the program. Georgia
2007 Georgia Bulldogs football team
The 2007 Georgia Bulldogs football team competed on behalf of the University of Georgia in American football against teams from other colleges and universities. The Bulldogs tied for first place in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference but lost a tie-breaker with the University of...
was ranked as the early pre-season #1 team. Sports Illustrated and ESPN.com soon revised their rankings to #3 and #4, respectively, after nearly all draft-eligible juniors decided to remain with the program instead of entering the NFL Draft
2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so...
. Going into the spring, USC ranked as the premiere team in the Pac-10 Conference, taking advantage of a deep talent pool, including a number of talented running backs holding over from the previous season.
The Trojans' biggest question entering spring practices was who would take over the starting quarterback position from John David Booty
John David Booty
John David Booty is an American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He last played for the Houston Texans until being cut on September 4, 2010. He played college football at USC.Booty has also been a member of the Tennessee Titans...
. Junior Mark Sanchez
Mark Sanchez
Mark Travis John Sanchez is an American football quarterback for the New York Jets of the National Football League . He was drafted in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft as the fifth overall selection by the Jets and the second quarterback taken overall...
entered spring practice as the acknowledged leader, having started three games the previous season due to an injury to Booty, winning two; however, Arkansas
Arkansas Razorbacks
The Razorbacks, also known as the Hogs, are the names of college sports teams at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The term Arkansas Razorbacks properly applies to any of the sports teams at the university. The Razorbacks take their name from the feral pig of the same name...
-transfer and former Razorback starter Mitch Mustain
Mitch Mustain
Mitchell Mustain is an American football quarterback who is currently a member of the Georgia Force of the Arena Football League. He played college football at USC. Mustain played his freshman year of college at the University of Arkansas in 2006 before transferring to USC in 2007...
had the most college game experience, having started and won eight games for the 2006 Razorbacks team
2006 Arkansas Razorbacks football team
The 2006 Arkansas Razorbacks football team completed the season with a 10–4 record. The Razorbacks had a regular season SEC record of 7–1.-Schedule:-USC:...
his freshman year while putting on an impressive performance on the scout team
Scout team
In sports, the scout team, also referred to as a practice team, taxi squad, practice squad or practice roster, is a group of players on a team whose task is to emulate future opponents for the featured players. Frequently used in American or Canadian Football, these teams consist of less...
in the 2007 season during the NCAA-mandated waiting period. Both Sanchez (2005) and Mustain (2006) were considered the top quarterback in the nation coming out of their respective high school classes. The Trojans entered spring with a number of qualified running backs, but not quite as many as in 2007. Battling for the starting position were top returners Junior Stafon Johnson
Stafon Johnson
Stafon Johnson is a professional American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played football at USC.-Early years:...
(673 yards) and sophomore Joe McKnight
Joe McKnight
Joe McKnight is an American football running back for the New York Jets of the National Football League . He was selected in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Jets...
(540 yards); but challenging them would be redshirt sophomore C.J. Gable
C.J. Gable
C. J. Gable is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2011...
, who started five games as a freshman in 2006 and the first two of 2007 before a season-ending injury, junior Allen Bradford, as well as previously injured redshirt freshman Broderick Green and Marc Tyler
Marc Tyler
Marc Tyler is an American football running back for the University of Southern California Trojans football team.-High school career:...
. All six running backs earned Parade
Parade (magazine)
Parade is an American nationwide Sunday newspaper magazine, distributed in more than 500 newspapers in the United States. It was founded in 1941 and is owned by Advance Publications. The most widely read magazine in the U.S., Parade has a circulation of 32.2 million and a readership of nearly 70...
or USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
All-American honors in high school, four earned both. Questions remained around the wide receivers, who had struggled with consistency the previous season; all starters returned, with special attention focused on Arkansas transfer Damian Williams, who caught 19 passes for the Razorbacks in 2006 but sat out 2007 along with fellow Arkansas teammate Mustain. The offensive line was hit hard by graduation, returning only one starter. The defense lost several important players to graduation, but the linebacker corp returned key players such as Brian Cushing
Brian Cushing
-Houston Texans:Cushing was drafted with the 15th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans.He scored his first career points on October 4, 2009 when he recorded a safety against the Oakland Raiders. The safety was the first recorded by a Texan since the 2002 season.Cushing was...
and Rey Maualuga
Rey Maualuga
Rey Maualuga is an American football linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Bengals in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
.
By the end of spring practice, the USC coaching staff announced that Sanchez would be the designated starting quarterback going into fall camp. A crowd of 22,000 watched the Trojan Huddle, USC's spring game that ends spring practices, where Sanchez, Mustain and redshirt freshman Aaron Corp all performed well against Trojan defenses; the White team defeated Cardinal, 39–36, in double overtime. With a number of talented linebackers, the Carroll and defensive coordinator Nick Holt
Nick Holt
-External links:* - Nick Holt - Assistant Head Coach & Defensive Coordinator - 2009-* - Nick Holt - Defensive Coordinator - 2006-08* - "Holt bolts for Rams," - 07-Feb-2006* "In Holt he trusts." - 19-Aug-2006...
began experimenting with using a 3-4 defense variation implementing the "Elephant Position", which features a hybrid end/linebacker position. The Trojans had used Cushing in the Elephant position during the 2006 season
2006 USC Trojans football team
The 2006 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in college football season of 2006-2007, winning the Pacific-10 Conference and playing in the Rose Bowl...
before returning to their traditional 4-3 during the 2007 season. In the 2008 variation, the position was filled by senior Clay Matthews, a former walk-on. After spring practices finished across the nation, Sports Illustrated revised its rankings and placed USC as the #3 team, behind Georgia and Ohio State; while ESPN ranked the Trojans #4, behind Ohio State, Georgia and Oklahoma. The running back tandem of Stafon Johnson and Joe McKnight was compared to the "Thunder and Lightning" combination of LenDale White
LenDale White
LenDale Anthony White is an American football running back. He was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Southern California....
and Reggie Bush
Reggie Bush
Reginald Alfred "Reggie" Bush II is an American football running back for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
, with McKnight mentioned as a top ten Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
contender going into the fall.
At the Pacific-10 Conference media day, the Trojans were the near-unanimous pre-season pick to win the conference. USC took 38 of 39 first-place votes; California
California Golden Bears
The California Golden Bears is the nickname used for 29 varsity athletic programs and various club teams of the University of California, Berkeley...
, which were picked to finish fourth in the overall standings, received the other vote. This was USC's sixth year in a row as the favorite to win the conference title, the longest streak since the Trojans 18-year run from 1965–1982.
On the release of the preseason Coaches' Poll, USC was ranked #2 in the nation, behind the 2008 Georgia
2008 Georgia Bulldogs football team
The 2008 Georgia Bulldogs football team competed in American football on behalf of the University of Georgia in 2008. The Bulldogs competed in the East Division of the Southeastern Conference . This was the Georgia Bulldogs' eighth season under the guidance of head coach Mark Richt...
team: Georgia received 1438 points with 22 first-place votes while USC received 1430 points with 14 first-place votes. Meanwhile, the 2008 Ohio State
2008 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 2008 Ohio State Buckeyes football team competed in football on behalf of the Ohio State University during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Buckeyes were coached by Jim Tressel and played their home games in Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio...
team was ranked third with 1392 points but an equal number of first-place votes with 14. The preseason Associated Press (AP) Poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
ranked USC #3 in the nation, behind Georgia and Ohio State. USC received 12 first-place votes and 1490 points, compared to Georgia's 22 first-place votes and 1528 points and Ohio State's 21 first-place votes and 1506 points. Both polls added to the interest in the OSU-USC game on September 13.
A major concern arose in the first week of fall camp, when Sanchez suffered a dislocated left kneecap while warming up for practice. Trainers were able to immediately put the kneecap back into place, but the injury sidelined Sanchez and threw his availability for the season opener at Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
(and beyond) into question. As a result, Mustain and redshirt freshman Aaron Corp
Aaron Corp
Aaron Corp is an American football quarterback for the University of Richmond Spiders.-High school:Corp had an outstanding high school career at Orange Lutheran High School. A dual-threat quarterback, Corp completed 212-of-311 of his passes for 2,750 yards, 21 TDs and 7 interceptions, plus ran...
began alternating repetitions with the first team offense and competing for the possible starting spot. After missing nearly three weeks, Sanchez was cleared to play in the opener on the final day of fall camp; Corp was selected as his back-up.
The biggest issue facing the team entering the season was how the rebuilt offensive line would perform, though it had improved over the course of fall camp. Sanchez, Cushing, offensive lineman Jeff Byers, and senior safety Kevin Ellison
Kevin Ellison (American football)
Kevin Marcus Ellison is a Free Agent American football safety who last played for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
were elected team captains
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
by their teammates.
In the week preceding the regular season, all twelve experts polled by ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
picked USC to win the Pac-10 conference, and three expected them to make it to the BCS National Championship Game
BCS National Championship Game
The BCS National Championship Game, or BCS National Championship, is the final bowl game of the annual Bowl Championship Series and is intended by the organizers of the BCS to determine the U.S. national champion of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision...
with two expecting them to prevail. All seven experts polled by Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
picked USC to win their conference, with three forecasting them in the Championship Game with one selecting them to prevail. Rivals.com
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
's panel of four experts unanimously picked USC to play in the title game.
Recruiting class
USC brought in a top-10 recruiting class in 2008.Transfers
Shane Horton, the brother of 2008 recruit Wes Horton, transferred from UNLV and would be required to sit out one season by NCAA rules.Junior transfer Steve Gatena, former United States Air Force Academy
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
Class of 2008 Cadet, transferred in from UC Davis as an offensive left tackle. Gatena was required to sit out one season by NCAA rules. However, due to his academic standing as a graduate student, Gatena was granted a one time transfer exception for pursuing his academic career and played as the second string left tackle in the season opener against Virginia.
Jordan Cameron, the uncle of Matt Leinart
Matt Leinart
Matthew Stephen Leinart , is an American professional football quarterback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League...
's son with USC basketball player Brynn Cameron, transferred in from Ventura College
Ventura College
Ventura College is a California-state funded community college located in Ventura, California, USA. Established in 1925, the college has a campus with an enrollment of 14,456 students. The college is part of the Ventura County Community College District....
. A former freshman basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player from Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
, Cameron attempted to transfer before the 2007 season to also play football as a wide receiver. However, when some of Cameron's units from Brigham Young did not transfer to USC, he needed to withdraw and attend Ventura College, missing the season but with the option to try to rejoin the team in 2008 (regardless, he would have been ineligible to play in 2007 due to NCAA transfer rules).
Departures
In addition to graduating starting senior 2007 All-Americans2007 College Football All-America Team
The 2007 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American Teams: Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Weekly, ESPN, CBS Sports, College...
Sam Baker (offensive tackle), John Mackey Award
John Mackey Award
The John Mackey Award is presented annually to college football's most outstanding tight end.The award is given to the collegiate tight end who best exemplifies the play, sportsmanship, academics, and community values of NFL Hall of Fame tight end John Mackey....
-winner Fred Davis
Fred Davis (tight end)
Fred Davis is an American football tight end currently playing for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Redskins in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Southern California.-Early years:Davis prepped at Rogers High School...
(tight end), Sedrick Ellis
Sedrick Ellis
-New Orleans Saints:Ellis was drafted by the New Orleans Saints seventh overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. The Saints original draft spot was 10th, but they traded up with the New England Patriots. The teams swapped first round picks, the Saints gave up their third round selection and the Pats gave...
(nose tackle), and Keith Rivers
Keith Rivers
Keith Rivers is an American football linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Bengals ninth overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Southern California.-Early life:Rivers was a highly decorated letterman in football at Lake...
(linebacker), as well as first team all-conference defensive end Lawrence Jackson
Lawrence Jackson
-Seattle Seahawks:Jackson was selected with the 28th pick in the 2008 NFL draft by the Seattle Seahawks. He was the fourth defensive end taken in the first round ....
, 2006 first team all-conference quarterback John David Booty
John David Booty
John David Booty is an American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He last played for the Houston Texans until being cut on September 4, 2010. He played college football at USC.Booty has also been a member of the Tennessee Titans...
and second team all-conference defensive back Terrell Thomas
Terrell Thomas
-New York Giants:Thomas was drafted by the New York Giants in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft, after projecting to be a third round pick. Thomas was the 63rd overall pick of the draft and the final pick of the second round...
, the Trojans also lost junior All-Conference offensive guard Chilo Rachal
Chilo Rachal
-San Francisco 49ers:Rachal was signed to a four-year deal.Rachal started the last 6 games of the 2008 season, then started 15 of 16 games in 2009. Rachal started 14 of 15 games played in 2010.-External links:**...
to the 2008 NFL Draft
2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so...
. Pac-10 conference honorable mention offensive linemen Drew Radovich
Drew Radovich
Drew Radovich is an American football offensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He played college football at Southern California....
and Matt Spanos
Matt Spanos
Matt Spanos is an Canadian and American football guard for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League...
, tailback Chauncey Washington
Chauncey Washington
-Jacksonville Jaguars:Washington was selected in the 7th round pick 213 of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. On June 26, 2008 Washington signed a contract of four years worth $1.6 million.-Dallas Cowboys:...
, and linebacker Thomas Williams
Thomas Williams (American football)
Thomas Washington Williams is an American football linebacker for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
also departed.
Offseason news
On the Monday after the 2007 UCLA-USC rivalryUCLA-USC rivalry
The UCLA–USC rivalry is the American college rivalry between the UCLA Bruins sports teams of the University of California, Los Angeles and the USC Trojans sports teams of the University of Southern California ....
game, a 24–7 Trojans victory, embattled Bruins head coach Karl Dorrell
Karl Dorrell
Karl Dorrell is a football coach, currently an assistant coach with the Miami Dolphins of the NFL. He was previously the head coach of the UCLA Bruins, the first African American head football coach in the school's history...
was fired. His replacement was former UCLA quarterback Rick Neuheisel
Rick Neuheisel
Richard Gerald "Rick" Neuheisel, Jr. , is an American football coach, former player, and attorney. He was most recently the head football coach at University of California, Los Angeles, a position he held from 2008 to 2011...
, who held previous head coach positions at both Colorado
Colorado Buffaloes football
The Colorado Buffaloes football program represents the University of Colorado at Boulder in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The team is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference, having previously been a charter member of the Big 12 Conference. Before joining the Big 12,...
and Washington
Washington Huskies football
College football has a long history at the University of Washington. The Washington Huskies have won 15 Pacific-10 Conference championships, seven Rose Bowl titles, and three national championships. Washington's all-time record of 653-398-50 ranks 20th by all-time winning percentage and 21st by...
where he led teams to overall successful records but his departures coincided with NCAA investigations at both universities. Within a month on the job, Neuheisel attracted attention by hiring former USC offensive coordinator Norm Chow
Norm Chow
Norman Chow is the offensive coordinator for the Utah Utes, a position he started on January 22, 2011. He previously held the same position with UCLA, the NFL's Tennessee Titans, USC, North Carolina State, and Brigham Young University....
as his offensive coordinator. While with Trojans from 2001–2004, Chow led the offense to the 2003
2003 USC Trojans football team
The 2003 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in the 2003-2004 NCAA Division I-A college football season...
and 2004
2004 USC Trojans football team
The 2004 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in the 2004-2005 NCAA Division I-A college football season. Although now vacated for breaking NCAA rules, the team won the 2004 BCS National Championship by winning the 2005 Orange Bowl, that year's BCS National...
national championships and saw quarterbacks Carson Palmer
Carson Palmer
Carson Palmer is an American professional football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals first overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played collegiately at the University of Southern California and won the Heisman Trophy in 2002...
and Matt Leinart
Matt Leinart
Matthew Stephen Leinart , is an American professional football quarterback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League...
win the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
. The hire of Chow injected a new level of drama to the rivalry that had somewhat stagnated under Dorrell.
Schedule
The Sporting News ranked the schedule as the toughest in the Pac-10; ESPN.com ranked it as the fourth toughest in the conference. ESPN.com ranked the nonconference schedule as the fifth most difficult in the nation, noting that if Virginia had a good year it would be the toughest.Roster
Wide Receiver
Center
Offensive Guard
Offensive Tackle
Tight End
|
Quarterback
Tailback
Fullback
Defensive Tackle
Defensive End
Punter
|
Cornerback
Linebacker
Safety
Long Snapper
Place Kicker
|
||||
Sources: 2007 USC Trojans Football Media Guide, 2008 USC Football Alphabetical Roster ‡ indicates that the player is a transfer who is ineligible to play 2008 season but is allowed to practice with scout team Players who left the team are struck out |
||||||
Coaching staff
| Name | Position | Year at USC |
Alma mater Alma mater Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:... (Year) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pete Carroll Pete Carroll Peter Clay Carroll is the head coach and executive Vice-President of the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He is a former head coach of the New York Jets, New England Patriots and the University of Southern California Trojans football team.-Early life:Carroll attended Redwood High... |
Head Coach | 8th | Pacific (1973) |
| Steve Sarkisian Steve Sarkisian Steve Sarkisian is an American football coach and former player of American and Canadian football. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Washington, a position he has held since the 2009 season... |
Offensive Coordinator Quarterbacks |
7th 2001–2003, 2005–2008 |
BYU Brigham Young University Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students... (1997) |
| Nick Holt Nick Holt -External links:* - Nick Holt - Assistant Head Coach & Defensive Coordinator - 2009-* - Nick Holt - Defensive Coordinator - 2006-08* - "Holt bolts for Rams," - 07-Feb-2006* "In Holt he trusts." - 19-Aug-2006... |
Defensive Coordinator Defensive Line |
6th 2001–2003, 2006–2008 |
Pacific (1986) |
| Todd McNair Todd McNair Todd Darren McNair is a former professional football player and coach. McNair was the running backs coach and special teams coordinator for the USC Trojans football team, where he was also a recruiter. McNair has received publicity related to NCAA sanctions imposed on the USC football team for his... |
Running Backs Special Teams Coordinator |
5th | Temple Temple University Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional... (1988) |
| Brennan Carroll Brennan Carroll Brennan Carroll is an American football coach at the University of Miami. His nickname is BC.-Coaching career:In 2002, Carroll joined the USC Trojans football team staff as a graduate assistant, under his father, Pete Carroll, who was then head coach. During his first season he worked with... |
Tight Ends Recruiting Coordinator |
7th | Pittsburgh University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of... (2001) |
| John Morton John Morton (coach) John Morton is an American football coach. He is currently the wide receivers for the San Francisco 49ers, after having served as wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator in the years before that at USC.-Coaching career:... |
Wide Receivers Passing Game Coordinator |
2nd | Western Michigan Western Illinois University Western Illinois University is a public university founded in 1899 as Western Illinois State Normal School. Like many similar institutions of the time, Western Illinois State Normal School focused on teacher training for its relatively small body of students. As the normal school grew, it became... (1992) |
| Ken Norton Jr. Ken Norton (American football player) Kenneth Howard Norton, Jr. is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League, former USC Trojan football team Linebacker Coach and Assistant Head Coach for Defense, and is the current linebackers coach for the NFL's Seattle Seahawks with former USC coach Pete Carroll.He is... |
Linebackers | 5th | UCLA University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses... (1988) |
| Pat Ruel Pat Ruel Golden Pat Ruel is an offensive line coach for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League.-Career:Ruel has 35 years of college and National Football League coaching experience.... |
Offensive Line | 4th | Miami University of Miami The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12... (1972) |
| Rocky Seto Rocky Seto Haruki Rocky Seto, often referred to as Rocky Seto, is an American football coach; he currently serves as Defensive Quality Control for the NFL's Seattle Seahawks.-Early years:... |
Secondary | 10th | USC (1999) |
| David Watson David Watson (coach) David Watson is an American football coach. He was most recently the Defensive Line Coach for the University of Southern California Trojans.-Coaching career:... |
Defensive Line | 3rd | Western Illinois Western Illinois University Western Illinois University is a public university founded in 1899 as Western Illinois State Normal School. Like many similar institutions of the time, Western Illinois State Normal School focused on teacher training for its relatively small body of students. As the normal school grew, it became... (2001) |
| Chris Carlisle | Strength and Conditioning | 8th | Chadron State Chadron State College Chadron State College is a four-year public college in the Nebraska State College System in Chadron, Nebraska. The college is located in the northern part of the Nebraska Panhandle, in the Pine Ridge area.... (1985) |
Virginia
The Trojans opened their season by visiting the University of VirginiaUniversity of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
Cavaliers
Virginia Cavaliers football
Virginia Cavaliers football is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I-FBS and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
of the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
(ACC) under Al Groh
Al Groh
Al Groh is the defensive coordinator of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team. He is also a former head coach of the University of Virginia football team, a former head coach of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team and the former head coach of the New York Jets of the NFL...
in the first ever game between the two programs and first USC game in Virginia. Virginia went 9–4 in 2007
2007 Virginia Cavaliers football team
The 2007 Virginia Cavaliers football team represented the University of Virginia in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's coach is coach Al Groh. They played their home games at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia.- Preseason :...
, but off-season losses to both the NFL and unexpected issues left the Cavaliers ranked fifth-out-of-six teams in the ACC's Coastal Division in the preseason. Five UVA players were arrested during the off-season and five other players were dismissed from the team because of academic reasons.
The game was described as possibly the biggest home opener for Virginia at Scott Stadium
Scott Stadium
Scott Stadium , located in Charlottesville, Virginia, is the home of the Virginia Cavaliers football team. It sits on the University of Virginia's Grounds, east of Hereford College and first-year dorms on Alderman Road but west of Brown College and the Lawn...
. Groh noted that he was pleased the game opened his team's schedule due to USC's ability and the general distraction it would otherwise pose to conference play: "It's as good a time as any in that we only wanted to play it in the first game, and they only wanted to play it in the first game." Virginia entered the game having gone 3–4 in opening games under Groh.
Virginia will become the 34th state (plus Japan) where the Trojans have played football. USC entered the game favored by 19.5 points.
Scoring three touchdowns in the first quarter was all USC needed to beat up on the Cavaliers at their home field. Quarterback Mark Sanchez
Mark Sanchez
Mark Travis John Sanchez is an American football quarterback for the New York Jets of the National Football League . He was drafted in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft as the fifth overall selection by the Jets and the second quarterback taken overall...
threw for 338 yards, CJ Gable ran for 73 yards, and Ronald Johnson had 78 yards in receiving. The No. 3 Trojans got off to a good start, thanks to the Virginia turnovers.
USC continued their undefeated streak in openers away from home under Carroll.
Ohio State
After a bye weekBye (sports)
A bye, in sports and other competitive activities, most commonly refers to the practice of allowing a player or team to advance to the next round of a playoff tournament without playing...
, the Trojans hosted the Ohio State Buckeyes of the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
under head coach Jim Tressel
Jim Tressel
James Patrick Tressel is a gameday consultant for the Indianapolis Colts, and former collegiate football head coach at both The Ohio State University from 2001 to 2011 and at Youngstown State University from 1986 to 2000. Tressel is most notable for his time at Ohio State. He was hired by the...
. USC or Ohio State had played in five of the last six BCS title games. The non-conference game between two perennial powers had potential national championship implications for either program. A historic rivalry existed between the two teams: Between 1968-84, they met six times in the Rose Bowl and determined the eventual National Champion in three of those contests. The teams had not faced one another since September 29, 1990, when Todd Marinovich
Todd Marinovich
Todd Marvin Marinovich is a former American and Canadian football quarterback. He played for the Los Angeles Raiders of the National Football League, and also in the Canadian Football League and Arena Football League...
led the Trojans to a 35–26 victory in Ohio Stadium
Ohio Stadium
Ohio Stadium is the home of the Ohio State Buckeyes football team and is located on the campus of The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. The stadium was added to the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service on March 22, 1974...
in a game that was called because of a thunderstorm
Thunderstorm
A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm, a lightning storm, thundershower or simply a storm is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere known as thunder. The meteorologically assigned cloud type associated with the...
with 2 minutes 36 seconds to play.
By the end of the 2007-08 season, the game garnered interest as a possible early-season battle between top-10 teams. By the beginning of the season it was named as the most anticipated regular-season game of 2008. The winning team was assumed to have an inside track to the national title game, though, given recent trends in the title game, the loser also had a reasonable chance as well. In naming it the top potentially season-defining game of 2008, Sports Illustrated highlighted a theme of credibility: Ohio State enters the game trying to move past the BCS title game losses of the previous two seasons and USC enters trying to show it remains highly competitive with its new starting quarterback and four of five new players on the offensive line. The game was also viewed as a possible Heisman Trophy showdown, primarily between Ohio State's running back Chris "Beanie" Wells
Chris Wells (American football)
Chris "Beanie" Michael Wells is an American football running back for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League...
and USC's Sanchez. During the preseason Pac-10 Media Day, Carroll noted that "It's games like this that make us."
The Buckeyes featured a combination of quarterbacks: Fifth-year senior and All-Big-Ten quarterback Todd Boeckman
Todd Boeckman
Todd Boeckman is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was signed by the Jaguars as an undrafted free agent on June 17, 2009...
continued to start for the Buckeyes, however in 2008 he was supplemented by highly regarded true-freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor
Terrelle Pryor
Terrelle Pryor is an American football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was the starting quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 2008−2010...
. The combination aimed to use Boeckman's prowess as a classic drop-back passer with Pryor's speed and ability to scramble for yards. The Trojans had particular concerns about Pryor, who had many of capabilities that made previous athletic scrambling quarterbacks, such as Dennis Dixon
Dennis Dixon
Dennis Lee Dixon, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
, Jake Locker
Jake Locker
Jacob Cooper "Jake" Locker is an American football quarterback selected by the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League in the 2011 Draft...
and Vince Young
Vince Young
Vincent Paul Young, Jr. , nicknamed "VY", is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He spent the first five seasons of his career with the Tennessee Titans. Young was the third overall draft pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college...
, difficult for the defense to contain. The Buckeyes came in with a strong defense, led by All-American and Butkus Award
Dick Butkus Award
The Butkus Award, instituted in 1985, is given annually to the top linebackers at the high school, collegiate and professional levels of football...
-winning linebacker James Laurinaitis
James Laurinaitis
-St. Louis Rams:Laurinaitis was drafted in the 2nd round 35th overall by the St. Louis Rams. On July 29, 2009, he signed a four-year, $5.1 million contract. The deal contained $3.3 million guaranteed...
and cornerback Malcolm Jenkins
Malcolm Jenkins
-New Orleans Saints:Jenkins was the first cornerback to be taken by the Saints in the first round since Oregon's Alex Molden went at No. 11 in the 1996 NFL Draft. On August 9, 2009 the Saints agreed to terms with Jenkins on a five-year, $19 million contract....
. Both linebacking corps, highlighted by the Buckeyes' Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman as well as the Trojans' Rey Maualuga and Brian Cushing, were considered the best in the country. One of the major storylines entering the game surrounded the health of Ohio State's star running back, Beanie Wells. Well injured his foot in the Buckeyes' opener, and sat out the second game of the season. Early during the week of the game he was cleared to play against the Trojans; however by the Thursday his presence assessed as doubtful after he experienced soreness in his foot one day after returning to practice.
Although scheduled for the third week of the season, the game was the primary focus of fan and media attention for both programs. Ticket prices rose to levels from $100 to $5,000 apiece. The game received heightened attention in national sports news when USC alumnus and starting quarterback for the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
, Carson Palmer
Carson Palmer
Carson Palmer is an American professional football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals first overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played collegiately at the University of Southern California and won the Heisman Trophy in 2002...
told a radio show "I cannot stand the Buckeyes and having to live in Ohio and hear those people talk about their team, it drives me absolutely nuts
Denzel Washington
Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter, director, and film producer. He first rose to prominence when he joined the cast of the medical drama, St. Elsewhere, playing Dr...
and Jamie Foxx
Jamie Foxx
Eric Marlon Bishop , professionally known as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, singer-songwriter, stand-up comedian, and talk radio host. As an actor, his work in the film Ray earned him the Academy Award and BAFTA Award for Best Actor as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a...
in attendance.
USC and Ohio State opened the preseason ranked No. 2 and 3 in both the AP and Coaches Polls, swapping positions in each. After the Trojans' strong performance against Virginia, USC rose to No. 1 and Ohio State ranked No. 3 in both polls. However, after Ohio State struggled in their week 2 win against an unregarded Ohio
Ohio Bobcats football
The Ohio Bobcats football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports program of Ohio University. The team represents the university as a member of the Mid-American Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, playing at the Division 1 Bowl Subdivision level...
team, they fell to No. 5 in both polls while USC remained No. 1. By game week the Trojans were considered 10-point favorites.
Oregon State
The Trojans began their Pac-10 Conference schedule on the road against the Oregon State Beavers, under head coach Mike RileyMike Riley
Michael Joseph "Mike" Riley is an American football coach, currently the head coach of the Oregon State Beavers of the Pacific-12 Conference...
, in Corvallis, Oregon. On their previous visit to Reser Stadium
Reser Stadium
Reser Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. on the campus of Oregon State University. It is the home of the Oregon State Beavers of the Pacific-12 Conference. Originally opened in 1953 as Parker Stadium, the stadium was renamed in 1999, and its current...
, during the 2006 season
2006 USC Trojans football team
The 2006 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in college football season of 2006-2007, winning the Pacific-10 Conference and playing in the Rose Bowl...
, the Beavers defeated the Trojans, 33–31, in a major upset; as such, the game was mentioned in the preseason as a possible upset for the Trojans.
Freshman Jacquizz Rodgers (#1) ran for 186 yards and two touchdowns for OSU, USC quarterback Mark Sanchez (#6) passed for 227 yards, and Damian Williams (#18) caught 80 yards for the top ranked Trojans in an upset loss.
Oregon State was the only Pac-10 Conference school to have beaten USC twice during the Pete Carroll
Pete Carroll
Peter Clay Carroll is the head coach and executive Vice-President of the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He is a former head coach of the New York Jets, New England Patriots and the University of Southern California Trojans football team.-Early life:Carroll attended Redwood High...
era, until Oregon and Stanford equaled the feat in 2009.
Oregon
Before the season the game was named a game of interest and the second most interesting Pac-10 game to watch after Ohio State-USC, in part due to the potential battle for the top of the conference.Arizona State
Entering the season, Arizona State was named as a possible challenger to USC's dominance of the Pac-10.Washington State
Arizona
Washington
California
This game was mentioned as a possible upset for the Trojans.Stanford
Before the 2007 season, Stanford head coach Jim HarbaughJim Harbaugh
James Joseph "Jim" Harbaugh is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. Harbaugh agreed to a five-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers on January 7, 2011. Previously, he was the head coach at...
, in his first year with the Cardinal, garnered attention by first stating that 2007 was going to be Carroll's last year at USC, then, during the Pac-10 media day, that USC "may be the best team in the history of college football." The Cardinal then stunned the Trojans in a major upset
2007 Stanford vs. Southern California football game
The 2007 Stanford vs. Southern California football game was a college football game held on October 6, 2007, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. In a remarkable upset, the visiting Stanford Cardinal won 24–23. Southern California was favored by 41 points over Stanford,...
, 24–23, ending the Trojans' 35-game home winning streak and causing a major obstacle to the Trojans national title hopes. During the 2008 Pac-10 media day, noted that the aftermath of the Cardinal's victory over USC was "water under the bridge." Given the previous season, before the season it was named as a game to watch by ESPN.com.
Notre Dame
UCLA
Rick Neuheisel
Richard Gerald "Rick" Neuheisel, Jr. , is an American football coach, former player, and attorney. He was most recently the head football coach at University of California, Los Angeles, a position he held from 2008 to 2011...
would do in his battle to gain supremacy in Los Angeles.
Joe McKnight
Joe McKnight
Joe McKnight is an American football running back for the New York Jets of the National Football League . He was selected in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Jets...
(12-yard run), Damian Williams
Damian Williams (American football)
Damian Williams is a wide receiver for the Tennessee Titans. He played college football at the University of Southern California, where he was an All Pac-10 selection.-High school career:...
(12-yard pass from Mark Sanchez
Mark Sanchez
Mark Travis John Sanchez is an American football quarterback for the New York Jets of the National Football League . He was drafted in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft as the fifth overall selection by the Jets and the second quarterback taken overall...
), Stafon Johnson
Stafon Johnson
Stafon Johnson is a professional American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played football at USC.-Early years:...
(2-yard run) and Patrick Turner (18-yard pass from Sanchez) scored for the Trojans. Sanchez passed for 269 yards, McKnight ran for 99 yards and Turner caught for 81 yards.
A fumble recovery turned into a pass reception touchdown by Kahlil Bell in the beginning of the game was all the scoring by the Bruins
UCLA Bruins
The UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California, Los Angeles . The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Pacific-12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation . For football, they are in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I...
in this the latest cross-town rivalry game. UCLA Quarterback Kevin Craft
Kevin Craft
Kevin Craft is a former college football quarterback at UCLA, who played for the Cougars de Saint-Ouen l'Aumône, France in France.-High school years:...
completed 11 out of 28 passes for a total of 89 yards and had one pass intercepted.
Going into the game, the Trojans were set to be, at worst, co-Pac-10 Champions with Oregon State. However, after the win over UCLA and Oregon State's loss the same day, the Trojans became the Pac-10 Champions for the seventh straight year and qualified for the Rose Bowl
2009 Rose Bowl
The 2009 Rose Bowl, the 95th edition of the annual game, was a college football bowl game played on Thursday, January 1, 2009 at the same-named stadium in Pasadena, California. Because of sponsorship by Citi, the first game in the 2009 edition of the Bowl Championship Series was officially titled...
, played on January 1, 2009. Linebacker Rey Maualuga
Rey Maualuga
Rey Maualuga is an American football linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Bengals in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
was named Pac-10 defensive player of the year.
Rose Bowl versus Penn State
Rankings
| Poll | Pre | Wk 1 | Wk 2 | Wk 3 | Wk 4 | Wk 5 | Wk 6 | Wk 7 | Wk 8 | Wk 9 | Wk 10 | Wk 11 | Wk 12 | Wk 13 | Wk 14 | Wk 15 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |
| Coaches | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4-T | |
| Harris | Not released | 7 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |||||
| BCS | Not released | 5 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | ||||||||
Awards
- Rey MaualugaRey MaualugaRey Maualuga is an American football linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Bengals in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
won the Bednarik Award. - Rey Maualuga was the CBS Sportsline.com Defensive Player of the Year.
- Rey Maualuga was named the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year.
- Rey Maualuga was the USC Team MVP.
- Rey Maualuga, Taylor MaysTaylor MaysTaylor Mays is an American football safety for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League.He played college football at USC...
and Brian CushingBrian Cushing-Houston Texans:Cushing was drafted with the 15th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans.He scored his first career points on October 4, 2009 when he recorded a safety against the Oakland Raiders. The safety was the first recorded by a Texan since the 2002 season.Cushing was...
were named First Team All-American. - Fili MoalaFili MoalaFili Moala is an American football defensive tackle for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Colts in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
(Sporting News) was named Second Team All-American. - Mark SanchezMark SanchezMark Travis John Sanchez is an American football quarterback for the New York Jets of the National Football League . He was drafted in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft as the fifth overall selection by the Jets and the second quarterback taken overall...
, Kevin EllisonKevin Ellison (American football)Kevin Marcus Ellison is a Free Agent American football safety who last played for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
, and Clay Matthews IIIClay Matthews IIIWilliam Clay Matthews III is an American football linebacker for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Packers 26th overall in the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Southern California.-Early years:Matthews was born in the Los...
were named All-America honorable mention. - Kristofer O'DowdKristofer O'DowdKristofer O'Dowd is an American football center who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2011...
was named to the College Football NewsCollege Football NewsCollege Football News is a magazine and website published by College Football News, Inc., headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. News coverage includes scores, statistics, rankings, and reports on college football games. Analysis includes comparisons between teams, predictions of game outcomes and...
Sophomore All-America Second Team. - Damian WilliamsDamian WilliamsDamian Williams may refer to:* Damian Williams , participant in the 1992 Los Angeles Riots* Damian Williams , Tennessee Titans wide receiver...
was named College Football NewsCollege Football NewsCollege Football News is a magazine and website published by College Football News, Inc., headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. News coverage includes scores, statistics, rankings, and reports on college football games. Analysis includes comparisons between teams, predictions of game outcomes and...
Sophomore All-America honorable mention. - Mark Sanchez, Kristofer O'Dowd, Rey Maualuga, Taylor Mays, Brian Cushing, Fili Moala, Kevin Ellison, Jeff ByersJeff ByersAfter going undrafted in the 2010 NFL Draft, Byers signed a free agent contract with the Seattle Seahawks.-External links:*...
(rivals.com) and David BuehlerDavid Buehler-Dallas Cowboys:He was drafted in the 5th round by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2009 NFL Draft, and the first kicker taken. He was the first USC kicker to be drafted since Cole Ford in 1995. He handles the team's kickoffs and missed his only field goal attempt in the Cowboys' opening regular season...
were named First Team All-Pac-10. - Patrick TurnerPatrick TurnerPatrick Turner is an American football wide receiver for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
, Clay Matthews III (rivals.com), and Kaluka MaiavaKaluka Maiava-Personal:Maiava's stepfather, Scott Mahoney, attended and played football for Kamehameha Schools and the University of Colorado as an offensive lineman. His mother, Kathryn, works for an airline, which allowed the family the ability to take free trips to the mainland during Maiava's high school...
were named Second Team All Pac-10. - Charles Brown (offensive lineman)Charles Brown (offensive lineman)-New Orleans Saints:Brown was drafted by the Saints with the last pick of the second round. He signed a four-year contract on July 26, 2010.-External links:**...
, Anthony McCoyAnthony McCoyAnthony McCoy is an American football tight end for the Seattle Seahawks. McCoy was considered one of the top tight end prospects for the 2010 NFL Draft.-Early years:McCoy attended Bullard High School in Fresno, California...
, Josh PinkardJosh PinkardJosh Pinkard is an American football cornerback, currently unsigned, who was most recently with the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League...
, Cary HarrisCary HarrisCary Harris is an American football safety who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
, Kyle MooreKyle MooreKyle Moore is an American football defensive end for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
, Joe McKnightJoe McKnightJoe McKnight is an American football running back for the New York Jets of the National Football League . He was selected in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Jets...
and Damian Williams were named honorable mention All Pac-10.
NFL Draft
Twelve USC players were invited to the NFL CombineNFL Combine
The National Invitational Camp or NFL Scouting Combine, as it is more widely known, is a week-long showcase, occurring every February in Indianapolis, Indiana's Lucas Oil Stadium , where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Football League coaches, general...
. Of the twelve, Josh Pinkard applied for and was granted a sixth season of eligibility by the NCAA and opted to stay at USC for another season. Of the eleven players who attended the Combine, all were drafted by the end of the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft
2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
. USC topped the total number of draftees for the second consecutive season.
External links
- USCRipsIt.com: Official website of USC Trojan football.