Now is where we find out where the Trojans really stand: USC at OSU

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

So what did we learn from USC's game last week against San Jose State?

The Trojans aren't immune from growing pains.

At first glance, it looks like a dominating laugher of a game, with a final of 56-3. But for nearly a quarter and a half, the USC offense was held scoreless. In the first quarter, the Trojans had five possessions, picked up 67 yards, fumbled twice and punted three times. Over that span, true freshman Matt Barkley completed two of four passes for 20 yards and was sacked once. Remember, this game was against San Jose State.

But this game also should remind you of just how talented and multi-faceted USC is. First of all, Barkley was amazingly efficient over the next three quarters, connecting on 13 of his 15 passes for 213 yards and a touchdown. The USC running game dazzled with three players averaging double digits in yards per carry. As a team, they rushed for six touchdowns and averaged better than 7.5 yards per touch. Defensively, the Trojans, who graduated their entire front seven, allowed just nine yards on the ground and just 121 for the game.

Yes, it was San Jose State and yes, it took a while, but USC remembered that it was, in fact, USC.

Now a real team comes calling, or more like it, the Trojans go calling on it.

Ohio State comes into this game with perhaps even more to prove. USC has to prove it can be consistent. The Buckeyes have to prove they even deserve to be in the same conversation.

The Buckeyes faced a much stronger opponent than USC in week one and won, but it was far from easy. Navy made things very hard on Ohio State in its own house, coming oh, so close to actually winning. Navy overcame a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit and nearly tied the game with just over 2:30 remaining in the game, but Brian Rolle played the Buckeye's savior, intercepting the two-point conversion attempt that would have knotted it up and returned for a touchdown.

Navy is a decent team. They went to a bowl last year and are very likely to go to another one this year. But still, a team that wants to be taken seriously in talks about BCS championships should not be leaving any doubt in these sort of games.

What should worry Ohio State isn't Barkley, nor the USC defense. Both are talented, but are also young and raw in spots. What should concern the Buckeyes is the Trojans on the ground. Navy's top two rushers both averaged close to five yards per carry and neither have the explosiveness a Joe McKnight has. Pete Carrol was very conservative in the use of his quarterback with 19 pass attempts, a stark contrast from his approach to last season when Mark Sanchez averaged 28 attempts in13 games, including the Rose Bowl.

Featuring what could could be one of the nation's best secondaries to keep Barkley honest, the Buckeyes should expect to see heavy doses of the running game and with some questions remaining in their linebacking corps, it could be the X-factor.

Prediction: USC wins, 28-17