Curse of Corvallis Humbles USC Again

I write this blog not having slept a wink last night, trying to figure out what in the world happened against those pesky Beavers and I still can’t figure it out. All I know is they did it again and barring the miracle of all miracles, USC is playing for a Rose Bowl berth for the third straight season.

This game was everything I feared when I was writing my pre-game blog yesterday (which is still in the archive if you don’t believe me). The Trojans took a team with everything to gain and nothing to lose for granted. The Beavers came out hard, gave the Trojans everything they possibly had and dominated USC in the first half in a way the Trojans haven’t been dominated in about 10 years. The Beavers, yes THE BEAVERS were ahead 21-0 at the break and USC’s offense was completely shut down.

Pete Carroll’s legendary halftime adjustments only pulled the Trojans within a score, as OSU held on for the win with a key interception of a Mark Sanchez pass late in the 4th quarter to put the OSU ahead 27-14 and after the hometown boys recovered a pitiful attempt at an onside kick, USC’s championship bid came to a grinding halt.

After the game, the ESPN camera shifted to a devastated Sanchez taking his wristbands and throwing them to the ground as he walked down the tunnel back to the visitors locker room. He knew he blew it. He knew his star had faded, the same way John David Booty’s did in Corvallis in 2006. He knew that he just dropped from Heisman contender to 6th-round draft pick in a three-hour span. Mark Sanchez is now a mere mortal.

So what did we learn from this? Judging by your comments in my blog from yesterday (which I apologize for not participating in, but I was too consumed with a tissue in my left hand drying my tears and a little vodka in my right hand to ease my pain), none of you saw this coming. I didn’t either, but I knew that USC wouldn’t roll through the Pac 10 as everyone had originally predicted.

The teams in this conference view their annual meeting with USC as their annual Super Bowl — a chance to measure themselves up against the best, knowing that a win will vault them into Bowl contention, while a loss won’t change their previous fate. Oregon St. had the same mentality when they built a 23 point lead in 2006. This time, their biggest lead was 21 points, but they held the dynamic Trojans off the scoreboard through two quarters. That’s an even greater accomplishment.

We also learned that the reason USC struggles more against Pac 10 teams than against nonconference opponents is because of the element of familiarity. The Beavers see this team every year and I’m sure have a good grasp of what Carroll and his staff try to do, no matter which group of players is on the field. This USC squad is also very similar to last year’s, so it’s safe to say the Beavers knew what was coming. They used their past experience, game-planned and won.

The Trojans now have nine days to get over the shock and prepare for the other guys from Oregon (who I’m sure will be dissecting what their in-state rivals did last night to try and complete upset #2). If I know Pete Carroll, his team will get back on track because these Trojans don’t lose two in a row and get better as their Pac 10 season rolls on.

Anyway, congratulations to the Oregon St. Beavers on a hard-earned upset victory over the former top team in the country.

Back to wallowing in my misery!

DC

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