Over/Under on USC next year
What is your guys' thoughts on the over/under on USC wins and losses next year? Just curious since it seems as it is going to be their "rebuilding" year. I think they will lose 3 games to OSU, at Cal, and I am going to go out on a limb and say at Notre Dame.
January 16th, 2009 at 10:44 AM ^
They won't lose to Ohio State. OSU will still be trying to replace all those defenders and without Wells, they have a problem. USC will dominate them defensively and to be honest, Sanchez is not a huge loss for USC. Even though USC will have a lot of young defenders, they are loaded with talent. Unfortunately.
January 17th, 2009 at 10:23 PM ^
All those defenders = two LBs, one corner, and a back-up corner. That's it. The defense will be fine. The Trojans lose a lot more on defense, if that's all you want to look at.
I'm a notorious pessimist and I think the game will be rather close.
January 17th, 2009 at 11:42 PM ^
By "rather close," I assume you mean "a loss by around 14 points"? That's the closest any Big Ten team has come to SC this decade.
January 18th, 2009 at 12:02 AM ^
They will be playing at OSU though so I would think it makes a bit of a difference.
January 16th, 2009 at 10:45 AM ^
USC returns everybody on offense except Sanchez and Patrick Turner, and even with the defense "rebuilding," I think we all know there won't be much of a drop-off.
It's pretty telling that since 2002, they've finished in the top five EVERY year.
I'd put the over/under at 11 wins, and I'd be shocked if they lose more than twice.
January 16th, 2009 at 10:57 AM ^
Mark May says 13-0....SHIP
January 16th, 2009 at 11:03 AM ^
Unless Weis is planning on stepping aside before the start of next season, Notre Dame isn't beating USC. Besides, USC loses Sanchez, but they have Mitch Mustain ready to step in. Perhaps they won't be as good as they were this year, but they haven't really had a "rebuilding" year this decade.
January 16th, 2009 at 11:30 AM ^
I doubt more than 2 losses, with one in the Pac-10 and one in the non-conference slate, most likely against OSU. That said, I sure would like to see ND win so that Weis would receive a 20-year contract and a XXXXXL-size "Return to Glory" t-shirt/
January 16th, 2009 at 11:45 AM ^
I respectfully disagree w/ the idea that Sanchez is not a big loss. Mustain hasn't played in year and when he did he struggled (granted that he was a freshman). They certainly have a lot of raw talent to replace Sanchez, but nobody w/ his polish...USC also loses most of their defense. OSU has a good shot of beating them in Columbus.
January 16th, 2009 at 2:08 PM ^
Mustain's experience also came in a completely different program with a completely different offense, with a completely different level of talent surrounding him.
January 16th, 2009 at 2:32 PM ^
was 8-0 as a starter at Arkansas and was a pretty good high school QB. I don't think USC is losing much at QB if any.
January 16th, 2009 at 11:58 AM ^
I see them finishing 10-2 with a trip to a BCS game.
January 16th, 2009 at 12:21 PM ^
If you think that SC is losing to Notre Dame. I know it is in South Bend, but come on it's Notre Dame. The OSU game and the Cal games are toss ups. I still think SC is appreciably better than OSU even at the shoe. Cal is always tough at home.
I really think they are only going to lose one to Oregon on the road, but I am an SC homer so take my opinion with a grain of salt.
The rational side of me will say 2 losses though. Oregon on the road and OSU or Cal, but definitely not both.
January 17th, 2009 at 3:34 PM ^
My reasoning basically is that if ND is going to beat USC ever in this decade, next year is their best chance. It is stupid reasoning but I just have a hunch I guess.
January 17th, 2009 at 8:54 PM ^
They beat SC in 2001, so they're covered for this decade.
Seriously, I don't see it happening. Carroll is an absolute master at preparing his team for big games, and ND qualifies as that given the history of the series.
January 17th, 2009 at 10:10 PM ^
I stand corrected.
January 16th, 2009 at 12:35 PM ^
Rivals says they think Aaron Corp is next in line for QB over Mustain FWIW
January 16th, 2009 at 12:44 PM ^
Sanchez is not that good of a quarterback. He benfitted from a great offensive line, a great receiving corps (including a receiver from Michigan), and three or four solid running backs on a rotation throughtout the year. He is no Carson Palmer, leinart, or even JDB. He was just an okay quarterback. With the kind of talent that USC gets, especially at the skill positions, they won't even miss Sanchez. He is overrated and that is why Carroll is criticizing his decision to go to the NFL. He is not ready.
January 16th, 2009 at 1:01 PM ^
They'll crush OSU and ND, and their other non-conference opponents, but suffer a surprising upset in midseason and maybe one to UCLA also. Then they'll face the Big Ten champ once more in the Rose and stomp on them.
January 16th, 2009 at 1:59 PM ^
I've already picked a Florida-USC championship game next year. So I think USC will not a game. They don't really lose that much on defense, esp with Taylor Mays coming back. Losing the linebackers is big, but they have so many good LB's it's disgusting. No USC losses.
January 16th, 2009 at 2:07 PM ^
10-2, absolute worst.
January 16th, 2009 at 2:36 PM ^
No offense, but ND would need a team of snipers to beat USC next year.
January 16th, 2009 at 4:29 PM ^
with frickin' lasers attached to their heads!
January 16th, 2009 at 7:56 PM ^
Only if the game is in a pool.
January 18th, 2009 at 12:09 AM ^
These are genetically altered sharks; no need for water.
January 16th, 2009 at 7:47 PM ^
Is the game at ND? Better get some surface-to-air missiles to knock the team plane out in flight.
January 16th, 2009 at 11:15 PM ^
They could fill Charlie's naval with water and practice lining up with jet skis. With plenty of room left over for sharks or some other schematic advantage to execute upon the Trojans.
January 16th, 2009 at 11:22 PM ^
Vegas line would O/U 10 wins.
Worst case USC goes 10-2 and goes to the Rose Bowl and blows out the B10 champ, again.
January 17th, 2009 at 9:41 AM ^
Question is, can all of the athlete's they have come together as a team and not for individual goals. If that happens, they'll be unstoppable.
January 17th, 2009 at 3:35 PM ^
Do you guys think it hurts that they are losing both their O an D coordinators?
January 17th, 2009 at 10:26 PM ^
I think they roll everyone outside of Ohio State and either Cal or Oregon.
They could lose all three, which qualifies as a down season for them. I doubt it, though.
Edit: and they will NOT NOT NOT lose to Notre Dame. Write it down, save it for posterity.
January 18th, 2009 at 3:16 AM ^
This just might be the best Big Ten team USC has faced in the most hostile environment it has played in, outside of Autzen Stadium.
Yeah, they could drop fitty and waltz out of the Shoe like it's the Kibbie Dome, but for some reason, I'm just not seeing it.
Edit: This was intended to be at the end of the conversation above about OSU's chances. I'm going to bed on this note.