The Trojan’s face the Bruins in the final game of the regular season Saturday at 7:00 pm pacific at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Trojans have a 4 gane winning streak but the Bruins are excited and ready to play the Trojans. USC is coming off arguably their best game of the year a 35-38 upset over Highly ranked Oregon. UCLA as well are coming off a big 45-6 win over Colorado

UCLA

Offense:

The Bruins pistol offense has had an up and down year showing flashes of great play then the next week not so much. The Offense averages 26 points a game. All year they have been switching between quarterbacks Richard Brehaut and Kevin Prince. Brehaut has been injured the past few games and Prince has taken over and done well.  The run game on the other hand has been consistent all year with the duo of Jonathan Franklin and Derrick Coleman.  The Bruins offense needs to score when they have opportunities and have a good game in order to have a chance to win.

Defense:

The UCLA defense  has been bit of a disappointment this year and the past few years has been one of the strengths of the Bruins. They have given up an average of 30 points a game ranking 81st in the country. The Bruins do have a few talented play makers on the defense though Tony Dye senior safety is an impact player and leader on the team. Defensive back  Tevin McDonald brother of USC start safety TJ McDonald is also an impact player on the Bruin defense. The Linebackers are young and have played exceptional at times. The most interesting match up  of the day  is who will the Bruins line up against All American and future top draft pick Matt Kalil  either Damien Holmes or Datone Jones. The Bruins defense need to find a way to get their offense in good situations to be successful.

USC

Offense:

The USC offense is on fire and have been playing their best football as of late. Matt Barkley has played great and is now in the Heisman race. Woods and Lee have been a headache for defensive coordinators and put up big numbers week after week. The running game led by Curtis McNeal  has been great also. The biggest question coming into the season was the offensive line. Surprisingly they have played great all season and are looking to cap off the season with a big win. The Trojans need to keep playing how they have been the past four weeks.

Defense:

The defense has done a solid job all year. The defensive line has had a monster year led by Defensive end Nick Perry. Overall they could have played better all year giving up alot of points at times but have managed to make big plays at the right times. The defense has been more oppurtunistic and been taking the ball away more often. They need to stop UCLAs offense quickly and give them no chance of scoring.

Summary

Even though the Bruins have clinched the PAC 12 south division due to USC being ineligible for postseason play this game means a lot. The Bruins have somthing to prove and want to show people they deserve an opportunity to go to a BCS  bowl game. Coach Neuheisel has never beaten USC and im sure he will try to do anything to beat the Trojans. USC wants to have a 10 win season to show recruits and the nation they are still an elite program in the country

Prediction: at first USC over looks the Bruins and are still thinking about last weeks big win over Oregon letting UCLA hang with them for a while. By the middle of the third quarter USC is too talented and too fast for the struggling Bruin defense.

USC 38 UCLA 24

Wouldn’t it be just a great day for USC to ruin their most hated rivals season by putting them out of the first PAC 12 championship game and most likely getting their head coach fired? Well it can all happen this week if the Trojans beat UCLA in the battle for the victory bell.

USC has had a great year and can have an opportunity to win ten games in a season for the first time in  two years. UCLA has a chance to clinch the PAC 12 south division and a shot to win the PAC 12  with a win over USC The Bruins head coach can almost insure his job if they win and get out of the hot seat he’s been in all year long. UCLA has been up and down all year and you really can never predict how the they are going to play in the upcoming week.

USC has dominated as of late winning 9 out of the last 10 games. Coach Neuheisel thinks a win by his team can restore the rivalry and bring it back what is use to be when he played for the Bruins in the 80′s. This is one of the most  storied college football rivalries in history and for the first time in a while a win means somthing more than just bragging rights. Plenty of recruits that are considering both teams are watching this game and this may be a part of who they will pick when it comes to signing day. With the Trojans only able to give 15 scholarships for the next 3 years it will be crucial for UCLA to take advantage of this for the future of the program.

The game preview and breakdown of both teams and keys to the game will be posted Friday.

I would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and spend time with your family.

The game will be  played tomorrow at Autzen stadium in Eugene, Oregon at 5 pm pacific standard time. The Trojans are coming into this game 8-2 and have a two  game win streak and have put up 40 points each in the last two games. The Ducks are ranked #4 and are 9-1 and may have a chance to play in the national championship game. USC has not won in the state of Oregon since 2005.

Oregon Preview:

Offense:

Oregon’s offense has play makers all around the  field and can make a big play at any moment. They are lead by 2nd year starter Darron Thomas. Thomas has a very well understanding of the offense and is the perfect fit for this offense. He has 24 total touchdowns on the year and has only thrown  5 interceptions. The run game is the strongest part of Oregon’s offense   lead by Heisman hopeful LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner. Missing two games with an elbow injury Lamichael James still has rushed for over 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns. Backup Kenjon Barner is really no dropoff of talent with 8 touchdowns on the year and averaging 7 yards a carry. Deanthony Thomas a true freshman running back and slot is the Ducks leading receiver this year and is probably the best true freshman in the PAC 12 and in the country. They also have a few more key skill player that coach Chip Kelly can use to his disposal  in this fast paced no huddle spread attack. The offensive line  is coached by one of the best coaches in the business and has been solid all year. The Ducks just need to play their game and give USC’s defense no opportunities.

Defense: 

The Ducks defense has been one of the most opportunistic defenses in the country  by creating turnovers and opportunities for themselves. The Ducks have played solid defense all year long and average giving up 21 points a game. The defense is a bit undersized but is quick to the football and to the point of attack. They proved last week they can play with bigger physical teams and were able to stop Stanford a couple times. The Ducks secondary is solid and is full of talent. The key for them against the Trojans is to put pressure on Barkley and make the Trojans beat themselves with penalties and turnovers.

USC preview:

Offense: The Trojans have been playing there best football so far this year on this side of the ball as of now. Coming off a huge performance last week against Washington .The Trojan’s have the confidence to maybe pull off a huge upset. The offensive line is very key this week because Oregon’s defense is going to pressure Barkley. Also the big time play making receiver Robert Woods is questionable and if he does play he may be limited to what he can do . This game may turn into a shootout so as always the Trojan’s need to protect the football and keep mental mistakes like false starts to a minimum.

Defense: The defense is coming off a huge game with 6 sacks and only gave up 17 points. The defensive line is they key to this game and needs to stuff the run and put pressure on Thomas. The undersized quick linebackers should be able to match up with  the Oregon receivers and backs. Over the years they have struggled against spread offenses and really need to find a way to at least slow down the Ducks Offense. If they do find a way the Trojans will have a good shot at winning this game and  maybe a two year losing streak to Oregon.

Summary: This is a must win for both teams being so late in the season. The Odds are in the Ducks hands being at home in a rowdy stadium and the weather to their advantage.  The USC defense like any other defense has a disadvantage against Oregon’s offense.

Prediction:   The Duck’s will over look USC and allow them to be in the game the whole time. The Trojans are prepared to play in a big game and this would be a huge step forward in the era of probation.

USC 48 Oregon 41

As soon as the Ducks break the huddle you need to know were running back Lamichael James ,Kenion Barner , and Deanthony Thomas are lined up at all times. Ever since their first game and loss to #1 LSU no one has showed any sign of stopping the Duck’s offense. They have the 5th best rushing offense in the country averaging 295 yards a game and have scored more than 50 points four times this year.

The past two years the ducks have beaten  USC and neither of the games have been really close at all . The Trojans defense is a key to this game and need to find a way to at least slow down the ducks high scoring offense. The defense tends to play better against more pro like offenses and struggle against the spread. Oregon’s spread is like no other spread in college football and it is different because no one in the country has the speed ] or the high tempo of getting plays off so quickly as Oregon does. The Trojans are more athletic than any other team Oregon has played so far since LSU. If Oregon wins this game and wins out they may have a chance to be in the national championship. The Trojans need this win for recruiting and to have them be ready to play the Bruins next week.

Tommorow will be the game preview of the Ducks offense and defense. Also how the Trojans fair against them on both sides.

feel free to email me for any questions at timyoung4@hotmail.com

Defense: The Trojans defense are the most important part of the game this week. Starting freshman linebackers will have their first oppurtunity to play against a very good all around Washington offense. Over the years the Trojans defense tends to play better against a pro style offense because they are a pro style defense. Washington’s offense is almost identical to USC’s. The defensive line is key this week and if they have a good game and pressure the backfield ,it will take alot of pressure off the secondary and linebackers. They need to put Price in obvious passing down like 3rd and long. The Trojans have an oppurtunity to end Washington’s 2 game winning streak against them and the trojans defense will be key.

Summary: The Huskies have been 0-3 vs. top 25 all year long. They are out to prove they are turning into a top program in the west and are able to win big games. The Trojans are in bit of a trap game because if they over look Washington this week and focus on Oregon next week, they will lose. Washington is a solid team and has a chance to beat USC if things go their way

Prediction: I think the Trojans will beat Washington and take care off business. Washington will put up a fight and it will be close, but Barkley will be too much for a weak Husky Secondary to handle.

As many of you know both head coaches were formerly offensive coordinators under Pete Carrol at USC. Kiffin parted his ways with Pete took when he took the head coaching job for the Oakland Raiders and became one of the youngest head coaches ever in the NFL. Sarkissian had an opportunity to become the head coach at Washington try and turnaround a Washington  program that has been struggling severely and underachieving.

3 years later Pete Carrol left to the NFL and Kiffin left  Tennessee after one year and became the new USC head coach. Sarkissian has  been turning around the program with there first  huge bowl win in  9 years  over Nebraska . Coach Kiffin on the other hand was handed a severely sanctioned USC team who is inneligible for post season play. As of late the Huskies have seemed to have the Trojans number winning the last two games under Coach Sark. The coaches have maintain a good friendship and have been joking around during press conferences this week about each other. This week they will be facing off in the coliseum on Saturday.

USC’s Matt Barkley and Washington’s Keith Price have proved all year long and are premier quarterbacks in the country. This is Price’s first year as a starter and has proven himself with big numbers and a 6-3 record. The quarterbacks are competing against each other to prove who is the best quarterback in the conference behind Andrew Luck from Stanford. As of Late Barkley has been outstanding and Price has done solid but has lost two games recently in tough loses to Stanford and Oregon.  This game should answer a lot of questions for both teams and give a preview of how the Trojans will match up next week against Oregon next week

Tomorrow i will give the game preview and Friday i will be posting the keys to the game for the trojans offense and defense so stay tuned..

Feel free to comment below for any questions and follow me on my new twitter for daily Trojan football and college football updates.

It might have been a little chilly last at night Folsom Field but Barkley and the offense were on fire last night. The final score last night was 42-17 somewhat close to my prediction. The game started a little scary for  the three  freshman linebackers and the loss of TJ McDonald for the first half due to suspension with a quick Colorado score that put them up early. Barkley answered back with a quick drive of their own then it was all USC from there.  Barkley picked the inexperienced secondary  apart and broke the school single passing touchdown record with 6 touchdowns on the night. The offense showed no hangover of last weeks game.The defense played well for the most part but Colorado did put a few drives together and did have chances to turn them into points but did not capitalize. The hiring of special teams coach John Baxter  payed off with two field goals blocked last night and 6 on the year. Robert Woods also returned a kickoff for a touchdown last night but got called back from a holding call. Coach Kiffin should be proud of his team but start worrying about the final 3 games of the year. The Trojans face Washington Saturday at home.   Either Monday or Tuesday will be the start of my coverage on this weeks game Vs. Washington

If you have any other questions or comments on the Trojans  feel free to email me or leave a comment below.

Follow me  on my   new twitter for daily updates on trojan football @timyoung44

USC is coming off a heartbreaking loss to Stanford in triple overtime. Even though there are no moral
victories in college USC did show they are still a premier program and can hang
with the best of the best. This is the first Pac 12 showdown in history between
Colorado and USC.

Offensive keys:
The offense needs to use their momentum from last week and keep the turnovers to a low
number in order to have success. The offensive line is finally having chemistry
with quality starts. Matt Kalil is proving he deserves all the recognition he
is receiving and true freshman left guard Marcus Martin is proving he belongs
in the starting lineup next to Kalil. Woods and Lee are proving they are one of
the best receiving tandems in the country. USC has also struggled with the run
all year until the last two games where Curtis “Moody” McNeal has given the spark
to the run game they have needed desperately. The Trojans have a chance this
week to put up big numbers and send a message to their remaining opponents that
they are going to finish this season strong and may be able to win out.

Defensive keys:
The Trojans defense has increased tremendously in the last two weeks.. Even though
Stanford did put up a lot of points against the Trojans, they were able to
prove Andrew Luck is human by pressuring him and in doing so he made a few
mistakes which put them in bad field position at times. Putting pressure on
Colorado with Blitzes and stunts will be key today due to Colorado’s lack of
experience and struggles on the offensive line. They also need to win the
turnover battle and put their offense in good field position. The defense
should have a good game today and should be able to shutdown Buffaloes
offense in every aspect.

COLORADO PREVIEW
Folsom Field Boulder, Colorado
6:00 Pm pacific standard time

OFFENSE:

Colorado is led by senior quarterback Tyler Hansen. He has a solid arm and plenty of experience. The Colorado Run game is led by 5″6 speedy scat back Rodney Stewart. Hansen has an above average group of receivers to throw to and his favorite target, Paul Richardson, is coming back from an injury. Colorado’s’ main weakness is their young and inexperienced offensive line. They struggle against the blitz, are ranked 114th for rushing yards per game and have averaged only 18 points per game.

DEFENSE:

The defense has been atrocious all year giving up 38 points a game. They have not been able to find an identity in the new scheme or have not found strength. One bright spot in this defense is true freshman, defensive back, Cameron Hemmings . Robert Woods and Marqise Lee would give any defensive coordinator fits and will most likely make it a long night for the Buffalo defense.

SUMMARY:

Colorado is coming from a 6 game losing streak and this win would give the Buffaloes something to be happy about this year. USC is coming off a heartbreaking loss in triple overtime against #6 Stanford. Even though USC is ineligible for post season play they have been playing hard all year, trying to maintain their ground as one of the premier programs in the country. USC is heavy favorites and rightfully should be playing against a very soft Colorado team.

PREDICTION:

USC will jump on them early and take the sellout crowd out of the game. It should be over by the middle of the fourth quarter. USC has yet to blow a team out and give some of their young players experience. This would be the perfect experience at an away game.

Final score USC 48 Colorado 7