Head
coach: Pete Carroll (7th season)
(Career: 71-14 | At USC: 71-14)
Current ranking: #13 in AP/#15 in coaches|#19 in BCS
Current record: 6-2, 3-2
Streak: One game losing streak |
Head
coach: Mike Riley (7th season)
(Career: 43-37 | At OSU: 43-37)
Current ranking: NR
Current record: 5-3, 3-2
Streak: Three game winning streak |
Last time
Oregon State and
USC met...
Oct. 28, 2006 - Oregon State 33, USC 31
Oregon State and undefeated (6-0) USC met at Corvallis and the Beavers held
off a late Trojan rally to upset No. 3-ranked USC 33-31, snapping the Trojans'
27-game Pac-10 winning streak.
OSU PK Alexis Serna's fourth field goal of the game had given the Beavers a 33-10 lead late in
the third quarter, but SC came storming back. Trojan QB John David Booty threw
three late touchdown passes to draw USC to 33-31, but Beaver DE Jeff Van Orsow
batted down Booty's two point conversion attempt with seven seconds left to
preserve the win.
The 33 points by
the Beavers were their most against the Trojans since getting 38 in the initial
game of the series in 1914. USC outgained OSU 492-351 as Booty passed for 406
yards and the three TDs, but the Trojans were done in by four turnovers, their
most since 2003.
TB Clinton Polk,
filling in for injured All-Pac-10 TB Yvenson Bernard, rushed for an even 100
yards for the Beavs. ...
more from
BF.com
Last time
Oregon State played in Los Angeles...
Dec. 6, 2003 - USC 52, Oregon State 28
USC and Oregon State closed out the regular season at Los Angeles and the No.
2-ranked Trojans claimed the Pac-10 title with a 52-28 win.
There were plenty
of numbers to look at in this one. For the victorious Trojans, QB Matt Leinart
passed for 278 yards and five touchdowns. That upped his season total to a
Pac-10-record 35 TD passes. OSU actually outgained USC 543-388 with QB Derek Anderson having a huge day. Anderson put the ball up 60 times, completing 34 for
a school-record 485 yards and two TDs, but was victimized by four interceptions.
The 485 yards
passing was the second-most ever allowed by USC. OSU FL Mike Hass had 208 yards
receiving on eight catches.
The Trojan
special teams blocked two field goal attempts and one punt ...
more from BF.com
Last time
USC played...
Nov. 27, 2007 in Eugene - Oregon 24, USC 17
Matthew Harper's interception on USC's final drive preserved a 24-17 victory
and put No. 5 Oregon on the short list of national title contenders.
As for No. 9 Southern California, just defending its Pac-10 is an uphill battle
at this point ... more
from SCPlaybook.com
Last time
Oregon State played...
Oct. 27, 2007 - Oregon State 23, Stanford 6
Sean Canfield threw for 142 yards and Alexis Serna kicked three field goals in
to lead Oregon State to a 23-6 win over Stanford.
Matthew Sieverson ran for 68 yards after replacing injured tailback Yvenson
Bernard for the Beavers (5-3, 3-2 Pac-10). Bernard ran for 62 yards before
leaving at halftime with a shoulder injury ... more
from BF.com
Series
history (USC leads 57-9-4, 38-3-3 in Los Angeles).
USC and Oregon State have met 70 times dating to 1914 with the Trojans
dominating the series 57-9-4. USC has won 30 of the last 32, although OSU's two
wins in that stretch have come in the last six years, including last season's
upset victory.
The Beavers have
had no luck in Los Angeles where USC has won 20 in a row against OSU. The last
Beaver victory in L.A. came in 1960. USC has posted 17 shutouts in the series.
Pete Carroll has
never lost in November.
This is just the
fifth time that USC has played Oregon and then Oregon State in back-to-back
games. In each of the previous 4 situations (1974-93-94-99), the Trojans have
followed the Ducks game with a win over the Beavers.
USC
connections.
USC has no players from the state of Oregon, while the Beavers sport 49 players
who hail from California. Oregon State head coach Mike Riley served as the
offensive coordinator under John Robinson at USC from 1993 to 1996. OSU
defensive coordinator Mark Banker was a USC assistant coach in 1996. USC S
Kevin Ellison’s brother, Keith, was a linebacker at Oregon State in 2004 and
2005.
OSU women’s
swimming coach Larry Liebowitz was an assistant swim coach at USC for 8 seasons
(1996-2003).
Stout
defenses.
Two of the most difficult teams to move the ball against in the Pac-10 will be
featured at the Coliseum Saturday. USC leads the Pac-10 and is fourth in the
nation allowing 263.0 yards per game, while OSU is second in the conference and
13th nationally giving up an average of 299.9 yards.
You can't
run on us!
Entering this week’s
action Oregon State and USC rank as the top two teams in the Pac-10 for rushing
defense. The Beavers lead the nation allowing an average of 54.5 yards per game
with California’s Justin Forsett the only opposing back to reach triple figures
against the Beavers (150). USC is second in the Pac-10 and seventh nationally
allowing 78.9 yards.
Trojans rank
first in Pac-10 in total defense and pass defense, second in scoring defense and
rush defense.
A huge part of OSU’s
rushing defense statistic is the 357 total yards lost by opponents via
tackles-for-loss.
Oregon State is the
nation’s leader for sacks per game at 4.25 and for yards lost via the sack with
263. The Beavers had a season-high eight against Arizona (allowed 22 for the
season), which is more than five teams (Navy, Syracuse, Arkansas State, Toledo,
Minnesota) have for the entire season.
That ranking will be
tested this week as the Trojans are second in the conference for rushing at
190.9 yards.
Click picture for
larger graphic
Versus the top
25.
A win Saturday against USC would signify a couple of big milestones for the
Oregon State football program. The program has won a road game against a top-25
team each of the last three seasons (2005 at No. 18 Cal, 2006 at No. 24 Hawai’i
and 2007 at No. 2 Cal), but has never won two true road games against nationally
ranked opponents.
Oregon State
hasn’t won back-to-back games vs. the Trojans since 1914 and ‘16 -- the first
two games of the series. The OSU program also hasn’t won in Los Angeles since
1960 -- 20 consecutive losses.
Road warriors.
Oregon State has been successful of late on the road in Pac-10 action posting a
9-5 record since the start of the 2004 season. Only USC (12-3) has more away
game victories in that same span -- one of its losses was at OSU last season,
snapping the Trojans’ 27-game conference win streak.
Head coach Mike
Riley and former head coaches the late Tommy Prothro (1955-64) and the late Dee
Andros (1965-75) are the only mentors in Oregon State history to post victories
over top 25 teams in three consecutive years (nobody has done it four straight).
Riley has wins in
2005 over No. 18 Cal, 2006 over No. 3 USC and No. 24 Hawai’i, and 2007 over No.
2 Cal. Prothro won games in 1962 over No. 12 Stanford and No. 19 West Virginia,
in 1963 over No. 14 Baylor and in 1964 over No. 17 Oregon. Andros beat No. 18
Arizona State in 1969, No. 14 Oklahoma in 1970 and No. 11 ASU in 1971.
Riley has in fact
won four of his last seven games vs. top 25 foes.
Fast starts.
Oregon State has outscored its opponents 92-6 in the first quarter this season
and over the last 17 games has a margin of 172-30 in the opening period. No team
in the BCS has allowed fewer first quarter points or has a wider point
differential for the opening period. Field goals by Arizona and Cincinnati are
the only points allowed in the first.
USC is outscoring
opponents 52-21 in first quarter.
History in the
making.
While there was some question last week whether starting right guard Roy Schuening would be able to play due to an illness, he did make his 45th
consecutive start -- the second longest streak in OSU history (Richard Seigler,
2000-03, 48).
If Schuening
starts the final four games he would become the school’s all-time leader for
consecutive and overall starts with 49. Receiver Anthony Brown is also quietly
moving up the list with 37 overall starts and would move into 10th place if he
finishes out the season in that role.
Big crowd.
Oregon State will be playing before its largest crowd ever within Pac-10 action
Saturday. The games is soldout with 92,000 fans set to watch the Beavers and
Trojans making it the fourth largest crowed ever to watch an Oregon State game.
OSU and UCLA played before 86,000 in Tokyo in 1980.
The largest ever
to watch a game involving Oregon State was in 1986 at Michigan Stadium --
104,741.
Bowling.
Oregon State needs one victory to become bowl eligible and likely play in its
second consecutive postseason game and seventh in the last nine years. If Beaver
head coach Mike Riley is involved in bowl games it is usually a good thing --
he’s 3-0 as the head coach at OSU and 3-0 as the offensive coordinator at USC.
Click for
picture larger graphic of Pac-10 bowl arrangements
Less
turnovers equaling more wins.
Over the last 44 games, Oregon State is 20-2 when committing fewer turnovers
than its opponent, 3-14 when committing more turnovers and 3-2 when even. In its
victories last season, Oregon State was plus-14 for turnover margin; in its
losses minus-6.
While the Beavers
lead the nation for quarterback sacks they have been as low as last for lost
turnovers, but that has changed over the last three games, and not so
coincidentally the team is 3-0.
Still in it.
Both the Beavers and Trojans remain in the hunt for the conference title, but
neither can afford a loss. Oregon State also arrives in L.A. attempting for its
fourth straight win over a top-25 team -- 2007 at No. 2 Cal, 2006 vs. No. 3 USC
and at No. 24 Hawai’i.
Depending on the
outcome of other games, the winner could stand as high as tied for second in the
league on Saturday night.
Depth issues
improving.
Injuries and other issues have taken a significant toll on the starting lineup.
Here's the latest.
True freshman
watch.
Wide receiver Darrell Catchings has
24 receptions
for 261 yards, including having the first
touchdown of the season via the pass, and will be starting his third consecutive game at split end. Wide Receiver James Rodgers has made his
presence known on rushing plays with 16 attempts for 264 yards, 16.5 ypc, good for second
on the team. He also has six catches for 90 yards.
Freshman linebacker
Keith Pankey has been activated from redshirt status due to injuries on special
teams and saw his first action at Arizona State. He has six tackles and
one fumble recovery in five games on special teams.
Additional
notes.
- Beavers finish
with three of last four on road beginning this week at USC.
- After 2-3
start, OSU has won three straight. If the Beavers win Saturday it
would match the longest streak in Mike Riley's tenure (twice in 2006 and in
2003).
- OG Roy
Schuening has started in 45 games, just three short of the OSU record
(Richard Seigler, 2000-03).
- PK Alexis
Serna extended his Pac-10 career record for field goals made to 72 and has
moved into a tie for eighth place on the Pac-10 career scoring list.
- The Beavers
have had tremendous success on fourth downs this season, converting a
league-leading and tied for the third-best in the nation at 80 percent
(8-10).
- Oregon State
is 38-6 when it leads after three quarters with Mike Riley as the head
coach. Starting with the 2004 season, the Beavers are 24-2 (losses to LSU -
04 & UCLA - 07) when they head into the fourth quarter with the lead.
- Oregon State
may have among the most in terms of players redshirting in the Pac-10 this
season with 29, plus an anticipated 30th with senior Sammie Stroughter
applying for a medical redshirt. A host of those redshirts this season will
be counted on to contribute next year as the Beavers currently routinely
play 15 juniors and only five sophomores. The Beavers expect to be one of
the younger teams in the conference in 2008.
- USC is at
home for the only time in a five-game stretch and faces possibly the most
difficult schedule remaining in the conference -- at California, at Arizona
State and vs.
UCLA.
- Trojans are
looking for 750th win in the program's history. They are winningest team
among Pac-10 squads and 10th-best all-time in the nation.
- QB Mark Sanchez has six TD passes in the last two games filling in for injured John
David Booty, although Booty is slated to start this week.
- DT Sedrick Ellis has 6.5 QB sacks, most among interior linemen in the Pac-10 and tied
for third among all players.
- This is the
74th consecutive game that USC has been in the AP Top 25.
- TE Fred Davis, a Mackey Award candidate who continues to lead the nation’s tight
ends in yards per catch, is in USC’s career receiving Top 20.