Rose Bowl: USC vs. Illinois

Analysis
On the surface, this seems like a mismatch. USC, certainly one of the most talented teams in the country, has played in countless big games during the Pete Carroll regime and has won most of them. Illinois was near the bottom of the Big Ten barrel as recently as a year ago.

But Ron Zook’s Illini are riding the crest of an emotional wave that could carry them to an unlikely victory in Pasadena. Illinois carries a four-game winning streak that includes a win over Ohio State — who happens to be playing for the national championship — and has a 4–2 record against bowl teams. USC, meanwhile, has played five bowl teams, winning four of those games in what turned out to be a down year for the Pac-10.

The Trojans seem to have found something of a rhythm since a loss to Oregon knocked them out of the national title picture. USC played perhaps its best offensive game of the season in its Thanksgiving weekend rout of Arizona State, outgaining the Devils 508 to 259 in a 44–24 spanking. If USC can muster a similar offensive effort against Illinois, it could be a long game given USC’s season-long defensive dominance.

The key for Illinois will be quarterback Juice Williams, so effective down the stretch for the Illini offense. If he can prove that he’s ready for the big stage, he could lead a stunning upset.

Breakdown: USC
Campus Location: Los Angeles, Calif.
Distance to Pasadena: N/A
All-Time Bowl Game Record: 29–16
2007 Season: 10–2, 7–2 Pac-10

NCAA Rankings (yards/points per game totals):
Rush Offense: 33 (185)
Pass Offense: 52 (233)
Scoring Offense: 41 (31)
Rush Defense: 4 (79)
Pass Defense: 7 (180)
Scoring Defense: 4 (16)
Turnover Margin: 63 (-0.08)

Additional Notes:
USC allowed only 51 points during its season-ending four-game winning streak … A preseason candidate for the Heisman Trophy, quarterback John David Booty finished 31st nationally in passing efficiency (136.9) … USC finished 104th in the nation in punt returns with a 5.9 average on 35 returns.

Breakdown: Illinois
Campus Location: Champaign, Ill.
Distance to Pasadena: 1,997 miles
All-Time Bowl Game Record: 6–8
2007 Season: 9–3, 6–2 Conference

NCAA Rankings (yards/points per game totals):
Rush Offense: 5 (266)
Pass Offense: 114 (157)
Scoring Offense: 54 (29)
Rush Defense: 23 (115)
Pass Defense: 77 (241)
Scoring Defense: 19 (20)
Turnover Margin: 47 (0.08)

Additional Notes:
This is Illinois’ first appearance in the Rose Bowl since 1983, and its first appearance in any bowl since 2001 … Rashard Mendenhall led the Big Ten in rushing yardage with 1,526 and finished second in the league to Mike Hart in yards per game … Illinois went 4–19 in the two seasons prior to this year’s 9–3 campaign.

Prediction: USC by 8