Two seasons ago then #3 Southern Cal came to Virginia on a charter jet and headed to Charlottesville. While here they had lunch at Michie Tavern, took in the sights and sounds, and then dismantled the Hoos like we all knew they would. USC quarterback Mark Sanchez burned the Cavalier defense for his career best performance, and five USC tailbacks scored a touchdown. Virginia looked like a deer in the headlights for most of the contest, and in the second half very few of USC starters were wearing their shoulder pads or their helmets as they joked and hung around on the sideline at Scott Stadium.
Fast forward to this season, and while almost everything is different this year in Charlottesville, most think that the Hoos have no chance to win this game.
#14 USC is led by sophomore quarterback Matt Barkley, who looks more like a model, or an extra on Saved by the Bell, than an NFL QB. Barkley and his Trojan teammates are fresh off a vacation to Hawaii where they torched the Warriors for 49 points. Now, USC did give up 36 points to the Hawaii offense, but the Warriors are prolific scorers at home.
Barkley threw for five TDs in Hawaii, and looked the part as one of the best young quarterbacks in all of college football. USC scheduled this game after they nearly broke every single NCAA rule the past couple of seasons. I like to call the Hawaii game a bowl game in September, since they are ineligible for the post season (or the USA Today poll) for the next few seasons. Nice work at (again) skirting, and flaunting the rules. Sweet, so you can’t play in a bowl game, no problem, we will just schedule an away game at Hawaii…
Prowling the sidelines for USC while wearing his trademark visor will be former USC assistant and the most hypersensitive, bizarre, whiny, paranoid, sleazy coach in the game: 35-year-old Lane Kiffin. Kiffin has earned his frequent flier card status while hopscotching the football landscape drawing ire, and not winning very much at every stop.
Along with Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly and Arkansas wacko Bobby Petrino, Kiffin is among the most disliked people ever to step foot on a football field. Saturday’s game is Kiffin’s first home game as coach of the legendary Trojans. Kiffin has burned more bridges professionally than George Costanza. "Flame on," Lane…
Southern Cal, while not as deep as during the Matt Leinert years, is better than Virginia at every position, but Virginia can win this contest. Senior Tailback Keith Payne has rejuvenated his pro chances fresh off a four-TD game last week against the Spiders. Marc Verica played well, within himself, as he did not make any glaring mistakes last Saturday. Kris Burd, now firmly entrenched as the #1 wideout for the Hoos, also played well in the Richmond game.
USC’s talented wide receiver Ronald Johnson must be contained by the Virginia defense if the Hoos have a chance. Johnson is one of five starters that return from 2009’s club. Five of seven of their top ground gainers are also back this season playing for the Trojans.
On defense, USC is young, but fast and talented The front is the strength of their defense, but the Trojans are loaded for bear everywhere on the defensive side of the ball.
If Virginia has a snowball’s chance in hell of winning this game, the Hoos must control the ball on the ground. It’s going to take a big-time effort from the young offensive line so that Payne and Perry Jones can move the chains. Virginia’s punting and kicking games did not play well against Richmond, and they must improve. Ras-I Dowling, Virginia’s best player, and Rodney McCloud both sat out of the Richmond game due to nagging injuries and are both game time decisions for the Hoos.
Look for Virginia to pull out all the stops with fake punts, double passes, whatever is in Mike London’s bag of tricks, in order to win this game. Virginia has nothing to lose, and a win on the road in a game like this could really start to change the already much improved energy in Charlottesville.
Prediction: Hoos 27 USC 48. I think it’s important not to get embarrassed on National TV for this very young Virginia squad. Coach London and his fine staff have done wonders restoring the broken and demoralized psyche here in Charlottesville, but I think USC is just too deep for the Cavs to handle. I think Virginia can still win six games, which would be twice as many as last season, and a great start on the winning future that is coming in a few seasons. Go Hoos!