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Game Thread Ohio State 3, Southern Cal 35 (Sept. 13)

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Supposedly Sanchez practced with cleats and contact today for the first time since the injury.

Let's hope he survives competition Tuesday tomorrow.

Gable also returned to practice and is said to have run well.

usc.freedomblogging.com

Sanchez all but assured of starting; Gable returns
August 25th, 2008, 7:33 pm
posted by MICHAEL LEV, OCREGISTER.COM

USC coach Pete Carroll all but guaranteed Monday that Mark Sanchez would start at quarterback in the season opener at Virginia.

Sanchez practiced with cleats for the first time since injuring his left knee Aug. 8.

Carroll said he couldn't make the official "declaration' until Tuesday night, when doctors will examine Sanchez's knee one more time, but Carroll didn't see any reason Sanchez wouldn't get the nod.

Meanwhile, tailback C.J. Gable, who injured his hip and ankle last Tuesday, returned to practice and ripped off several impressive runs.
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While Sanchez's missed practice time does seem like a big deal as far as preparing for the beginning of the season, it is important to remember that USC's bye week gives them, in essence, an extra week of camp before the OSU showdown. Given the disparity of talent between USC and UVA, Sanchez is not likely to have to carry the team on his back to notch a W. With two weeks between UVA and OSU, it gives PCP a chance to skew the practices to give Sanchez back a lot of the reps he's missed in the past week. Not an ideal situation, but better than it could have been.
 
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pressure Sanchez

I am going on record that the key to the game is pressuring the young USC quarterback.

Philisophically, quarterbacks are either good or bad under pressure, and no one knows yet how Sanchez will fare. I still remember the Michigan game years ago where we rattled the starting QB and then finally knocked him out of the game, only to find his backup was Griesse, who came in and played much better. My only point, Sanchez does look good from all that I have read, but no one actually knows. Boeckman is a known quantity - had some issues in some very tough situations but has a chance to be better this year.

So my hope is that the OSU defense rattles Sanchez, forces him to fumble or throw a bad pass or two allowing the defense to score. OSU gets a lead and takes the pressure off of Boeckman, letting Beanie run the ball, lots and lots, against a superb USC defense. Beanie takes 9 carries to advance from our own 20 yard line to the 50 yard line and then we punt.

Can OSU come up with pressure? Some new blitzes out of man coverage? Send everyone but JT? Will Mad Thad be our secret weapon? Will Lawrence Wilson be better than Vernon Gholston? Will the defensive tackles make some plays? Can our defensive backs catch the balls thrown to them? Could a new USC offensive lineman make a mistake? Something has got to break our way.

My Final Prediction:
OSU Defense 7
USC Offense 3
OSU Offense 0

This "just in" from Wikipedia
Mark Sanchez - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Sanchez threw two interceptions in the first half against Arizona last year
- Sanchez threw two second half interceptions in a loss at Oregon
- Sanchez looked good against ND, but so did everyone else they played

We can only hope ...
 
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daddyphatsacs;1239513; said:
USC had better watch Virginia this week. I have this feeling that the trip out East may be a bit of a "trap" for them. You never know............I wouldn't be shocked if the Cavaliers knocked them off.
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Virginia should be awful. If they score a TD on USC's D it will be an upset. Even with USC's uncertainties at QB and OL, I have a really hard time seeing UVA making a game of it.
 
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daddyphatsacs;1239513; said:
USC had better watch Virginia this week. I have this feeling that the trip out East may be a bit of a "trap" for them. You never know............I wouldn't be shocked if the Cavaliers knocked them off.
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I like USC to win easily his week. They travel well early in the year.

USC under Pete Carroll when their first game was on the road:

2003 - USC 23, at Auburn 0 (Auburn ended 8-5)
2004 - USC 24, Va. Tech 13 (in Maryland, ACC champ 10-3)
2005 - USC 63, at Hawaii 17 (ended 5-7)
2006 - USC 50, at Arkansas 14 (10-4, won SEC West)

Last year, they opened with a breather with Idaho at home, then went on the road to Nebraska. It was 42-10 after the 3rd quarter, ending up 49-31. OK, Nebraska sucked, but the only team on this list that's weaker than this year's Virginia squad is '05 Hawaii.

Only Va. Tech gave them a battle. They were up 10-7 in the third quarter when an iffy offensive PI call wiped out a big play and changed the momentum in that game.
 
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