Week 9: USC at Oregon

The Trojans likely will hear the whine of the engines revving up once they cross the California-Oregon state line.

These guys might think they’re headed for a crucial Pac-10 football game, but a Saturday afternoon spent on the fast track that is Autzen Stadium should better resemble an Indy car race. The surface will be a little slick, too, considering the Northwest climate at this time of year, so watch yourself going through the turns and let’s keep those yellow flags to a minimum.

Welcome to the Oregon 500.

The once-beaten Ducks and Trojans, each experiencing a recent Bay Area breakdown but a handful otherwise, will compare horsepower and will power in Eugene, Ore. Talk about having the motor running.

In its wicked spread option attack, Oregon averages 550 yards of total offense per outing, with 295 of it coming on the ground each weekend, and 134 of it belonging to junior tailback Jonathan Stewart, the league’s leading rusher.

“I don’t think there’s a better offense in the country right now,” said Washington defensive coordinator Kent Baer, whose players were scorched for 661 yards the previous Saturday during the Ducks’ 55-34 victory in Seattle.

“Half the time, I didn’t know where the ball was,” Huskies linebacker E.J. Savannah admitted. “They did a great job of faking and running that spread offense. We couldn’t stop it.”

The Trojans can bet the pigskin will be in either Stewart’s or quarterback Dennis Dixon’s hands much of the time this weekend.

With 940 yards on 131 carries, the fleet and powerful 230-pound Stewart ranks ninth in the nation in rushing and comes off a career-best 251 ground output against Washington. He’s found the end zone nine times. He owns the longest scoring run this season, 88 yards against Fresno State, among the country’s Division I runners. He is the Pac-10 offensive player of the week and has the Trojans’ utmost respect and attention.

“Stewart is ridiculously effective right now, totally on fire,” USC coach Pete Carroll acknowledged.

He is not the only one. Three times last weekend, Dixon had the Huskies utterly confused, deftly faking a handoff to Stewart, tucking the ball under his arm and sprinting around the end virtually untouched. The stealth quarterback’s rushing numbers are better than the majority of Pac-10 tailbacks: 75 carries for 423 yards and seven touchdowns.

Most teams would blanche at this assignment, trying to beat Oregon in a foot race. Michigan and five others couldn’t handle it. Not USC. After encountering a spate of bad luck and poor health, the Trojans seem to feel better about everything again after their 38-0 weekend pasting of Notre Dame on the road.

“I really think we’re getting stronger now,” said Carroll, who has had 23 key players miss at least one game, including 11 starters.

Against the Fighting Irish, USC wasn’t supposed to have All-America linebacker Rey Maualuga available and fellow linebacker Brian Cushing hadn’t played much since the opener, both hamstrung by injuries, but these guys showed up.

Senior quarterback John David Booty, out two games with a broken finger, vows to play this week in Oregon. Only trouble is, his replacement, sophomore Mark Sanchez, is looking more and more comfortable running the show and isn’t ready to come out. Both feel fairly strongly he should be starting against Oregon. Booty has completed 113 of 175 passes for 1,239 yards and 12 scores; Sanchez is 42 of 72 for 388 yards and five touchdowns.

 “We’re just going to wait it out until it feels right,” said Carroll of picking this week’s starter.

Offensive guard Chilo Rachal, out three games with a knee injury, also insists he will be ready for Oregon. Everyone wants in on this one. The talent is similar, in more ways than one.

There are three sets of brothers on opposites sides: USC linebacker Clay Matthews and Oregon linebacker Casey Matthews, USC fullback-safety Alfred Rowe and Oregon defensive lineman Kenny Rowe, and USC defensive tackle Christian Tupou and Oregon defensive tackle Fenuki Tupou.

While Arizona State and UCLA sit atop the Pac-10 standings, unbeaten in conference play, the feeling is widespread that the league’s best team is the one that will walk out of Autzen a winner this weekend. The Trojans lead the series 36-15-2 and have won the last three games, but it might not be enough.

It’s time for Oregon, which looks good on paper and against second-tier opposition, to step up and finally take advantage of a golden opportunity against an elite league team. The Ducks have had their chances to make a statement against USC in recent seasons, but weren’t up to the task.   

Two years ago, they finished 10-2, but one of their setbacks was a humbling 45-13 loss to the Trojans at Autzen Stadium.

A year ago, Oregon confidently traveled to Los Angeles with a 7-2 record and was destroyed 35-10, which was the start of a numbing 0-4 tailspin to a once-promising season.

These Ducks might be different. Their offense appears highly potent and the defense bends a little but gets the job done. The special teams have been adequate. Everybody has to be on the same page for a breakthrough against the Trojans in a game that matches a pair of top 10 teams in Eugene for the first time in 41 seasons.

“To defeat a team like SC, you have to be hitting on all cylinders,” Bellotti said, putting the Oregon 500 in proper perspective.

Feathered friends, start your engines.

Oregon by 3