FOOTBALL

Morning Buzz: Has USC Played A Good Team?

Has USC played a good team yet?

Oregon is unranked and has two losses. Do the Ducks still qualify as a good team? Do they have to win the rest of their games?

Penn State is 3-3. Rutgers is 1-4. Washington is an unmitigated disaster at 3-3 and sinking fast. Then there were the three Tomato Cans that USC played in nonconference games.

Remember, I never overhyped the Oregon game or said it was a make-or-break game. That was for the fanboys.

But the Ducks have underachived this season, outside of the USC game.

So what do we know about the Trojans? Todd Blackledge keeps acting every week like the defense turned a corner. Against 3-3 Washington? And 3-3 Penn State?

No, the schedule is doing no favors. It’s going to be the Indiana, Ohio State and UCLA games where the rubber meets the road.

So back to my question: Has USC played a good team?

I mean, Lincoln Riley acted like he won the national championship at Penn State, so we know his answer.

  • Penn State 0-5 in the five highest-attended games at Beaver Stadium. Penn State is 12-10 in White Out games since 2004, when the tradition started. Penn State is 2-6 when it is unranked and facing a ranked opponent in a White Out game.

34 thoughts on “Morning Buzz: Has USC Played A Good Team?”

  1. No. Three marquee programs during down seasons/periods. They probably lose at least 4 still, and definitely will not beat Ohio State.

    BTW-The Penn State losing with their highest attendance figures – unlike USC, the other big programs have expanded seating over time so it stands to reason (the capacity was far less for instance when Penn State was playing Dan Marino and Pitt). To be fair to USC – the Coliseum sat over 90K (and 100K for certain events) at one time (and during the McKay through Pete eras).

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  3. KAM: Some did not think SC would be in the running for the Playoffs after the first 7-games

    DON: But here they are at 6-1, and I give them a chance to win their remaining games

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

      2. KAM: What is SC ranked after dumping Note Dame and scheduling ridiculously easy opponents? 19th.

        DON They don’t take 19th ranked teams in the College Football Playoff.

        Liked by 3 people

  4. You are absolutely spot on. Another reason why playing only cupcakes in the non-conference like wussey Riley serves no purpose. Yes USC can artificially inflate the win total but 10-2 against our schedule won’t go as far as some other teams’ 10-2 mark against better non-conference foes.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    1. I hope our soft schedule bites him on the @ss.

      Some of us knew that was not the way to go. But many supported it, thinking it would help us get into the CFP.

      Liked by 3 people

      Reply

      3. Riley has zero margin of error because of his scheduling philosophy. Plus if he tossed out the Notre Dame series and STILL cant make the playoffs- well that’s a fire-able offense to me.

        Liked by 1 person

  5. KAM: I believe Wiley was hurt in the Washington game when the student body started chanting “Fire Lincoln,” because he kind of over-reacted with his Penn St victory

    DON: I don’t believe it when he and the team say they don’t pay attention to “outside noise” aka social media, especially when so much of it is negative

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  6. Defense, particularly the secondary is a huge concern.

    But what is surprisingly concerning is the running game. Waymo Jordan was on fire before he was injured in the Michigan game, I believe he led the NCAA in yards after first contact last season, averaged 6.5 yards, had a 40 yard run, no fumbles. He says he is back, but the stats don’t show it. And King Miller was supposed to be stronger and faster this season, that is questionable also.

    Mosley’s return kept the PSU the defense honest in the second half, and hopefully Bowman will be back in two weeks, which will further open up the running game.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

      2. Preferred “Benson” & SNL Dan Akroyd skits to the real administration and family … but they were interesting and entertaining in their own way (except Brzezinski who was as despicable as any figure since the Great Depression).

        Liked by 3 people

  8. KAM: SC’s offense is different when Mosley is in there. He helped make the Penn St game the best of the year for Maiava

    DON: You figure SC will score on anybody, but it is Wiley’s defense that is his usual Achilles Heel

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      2. Dan Lanning on the hit against Dante Moore: “”Our guys respect the game,” Lanning said. “I don’t think you’d ever see that from our players.”

        Liked by 4 people

    1. KAM: Weird how Madden Iamaleava is UCLA’s second string quarterback. He is a sophomore, standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing 197 pounds.

      DON: Yet UCLA’s third-string quarterback Ty Dieffenbach, behind Nico Iamaleava and Madden Iamaleava on the current depth chart, took Nico’s place Saturday and is expected to start Saturday.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. I love the friends I have gathered together on this thin raft.

        Where are Perry Bishop and Carri Petes when you need ’em with big cashier’s cheques at the ready to let Riley know that the clock is a’tickin’ if he can’t convincingly show that he’s turned this team around, especially on defense?

        Like

Leave a Reply