USC-Arizona: Defense Wows, Offense Struggles

The real question at the start of the showdown in the desert tonight focused on a game the Trojans played a month ago. Would their matchup with the upstart Arizona Wildcats be a repeat of the Oregon State game?

The similarities between Arizona and Oregon State made one immediately think of the previous game. Both teams had the home field. Both teams had a wild crowd behind them. Both teams had a respectable quarterback and excellent receivers. Both teams had small but explosive tailbacks who could duck under the big horses up front and burst through the seams.

Add to that the fact that the Wildcats had won six straight at home and so far this season had outscored opponents 201-53, and an upset of the #5 team in the nation was a real possibility.

But deja-vu turned into a dramatic coverup instead.

The Trojan offense that hung 69 points on hapless Washington State failed to show up. Instead, the Trojan defense would be forced to cover up their mistakes. But were they up to the task.

A month ago in Corvallis, Oregon State struck first. But tonight a three-and-out and a patient Stafon Johnson waiting for his blocks to form before ripping off a 54-yard punt return led to an David Buehler 43-yard field goal and an early 3-0 Trojan lead.

The Trojans may have gone in for a touchdown if Mark Sanchez had been in sync with his receivers and more patient.

This proved crucial on the Trojans next possession, Mark Sanchez never looked off Marquis Hundley who intercepted at the USC 33. Enter the Trojan defense and exit an Arizona scoring opportunity. USC pushed Arizona backwards and got the ball back in the hands of their offense.

USC racked up a couple of first downs, but then Sanchez threw to a covered receiver in the end zone instead of running for another first down, and Arizona took over and drove right downfield.

The first quarter ended with the Wildcats at the USC 10, preserving the Trojans 11 consecutive shutout quarters.

Arizona drove to first down at the one to start the second quarter, but a personal foul put the ball back on the 16 and the Trojans held. Jason Bondzio’s kicked a 30-yard field goal to tie the score.

Two consecuitve first down passes to Damian Williams put the Trojans across midfield. Then Stafon Johnson ran for two first downs. After fullback Stanley Havili caught a short pass, Joe McKnight exploded up the middle to the three. And Stafon Johnson took it in for the score.

The Trojans were a perfect 4-for-4 on third downs on their 17-play, 80-yard drive that ate up nearly eight minutes.

Arizona came right back with Keola Antolin and Nic Grisby running for first downs and Willie Tuitama throwing to Rob Gronkowski to set up another first down at the Trojan 45. A screen pass to Mike Thomas netted another first down and a chance to score with time running out.

But Bondzio missed a 48-yard field goal, and the half ended with USC leading 10-3.

Well, Arizona wasn’t ahead 21-0 at the half like Oregon State, but they were still well within striking distance.

If Sanchez, a mediocre 9-for-17 for 83 yards and an interception, couldn’t get on the same page with his receivers, the Trojans would become one-dimensional and once again upset-bound.

But Sanchez didn’t, and in fact, fumbled when Brooks Reed hit him and set up the Wildcats at the Trojans 15. A couple of running plays to Nic Grigsby, and Arizona had tied USC 10-10 with less than two minutes gone in the third quarter.

It was the first touchdown allowed by the defense in 13 quarters. It was also the second turnover of the night for Mark Sanchez, and the Trojans were in danger of not only losing their #5 ranking but also their Pac-10 title.

But the offense would finally get something going.

The spotty Sanchez hit Patrick Turner and then Stafon Johnson to move the ball up near midfield. Then on a third-and-eight he hit Damian Williams at the Arizona 30. After avoiding a blitz thanks to a devastating block by Stafon Johnson on Nate Ness, Sanchez hit Havili all alone down the sideline to put the Trojans back up 17-10.

The Trojans, who are not used to covering kickoffs since Buehler usually puts them out of the end zone, got caught napping as Mike Thomas returned one 55 yards.

But enter once again the Trojan defense. Again they stiffened and pushed Arizona back to their own 40. After the teams exchanged punts, Kevin Thomas intercepted a Tuitama pass at the USC 45.

Sanchez ran for a first down. Then three straight running plays only netted a yard, and Woidneck punted to the Arizona 9-yard line to end the third quarter.

Another big punt return by Stafon Johnson was brought back to the USC 48 because of personal foul. Sanchez hit tight end Anthony McCoy for a first down at the Arizona 35 and then Stanley Havili inside the 25.

A series of running plays got the Trojans down to the ten, but a procedure penalty nullified a first down, and David Buehler missed a 30-yard field goal to give Arizona life at their own 20.

And life they got with a 26-yard burst from Nic Grigsby running over several Trojans. But Clay Matthews made up for his missed tackle on Grigsby with a sack of Tuitama.

The Trojans took over at their own 10 after a Keenyn Crier punt. Would a night of miscues and penalties sabotage the Trojans and drop them from the #5 spot?

It looked certain as the offense sputtered to a three-and-out inside the 10, and Woidneck punted from the end zone.

Would the pathetic performance of Mark Sanchez and the offense in general negate another strong showing by the USC defense. A performance with an exclamation point as that stellar defense sopped the Wildcats at midfield on a fouth-and-inches. At least nine of the eleven Trojans were in on the stop.

But Sanchez and the offense again put an overworked Trojan defense back on the field after another inept three-and-out.

Once again that tried-and-true defense held. However, Crier punted to the Trojans 3-yard line, giving Arizona life once again if they could hold the Trojans.

Stafon Johnson ran the ball near a first down but fumbled forward for a 26-yard gain. Havili ran for another Trojan first down. The Trojans punted back to the Wildcats with 9 seconds left. Derick Barkum ranvthe fumbled punt back 42 yards before getting shoved out of bounds to end the game.

The Trojans were lucky in one respect. Wilie Tuitama played worse than Mark Sanchez in the second half. In all fairness to Tuitama, however, the Trojans defense had a lot to do with his lack of productivity.

The same could said for Sanchez and the O-line. Mike Stoops has finally put together a defense in the desert.

Tuitama was just 14-of-30 for 88 yards while Sanchez went 21-of-36 for 216 yards. The Trojans rushed for 151 yards to an even 100 yards for the Wildcats.

Although Pete Carroll said, “A win is a win,” most of the BCS voters won’t see it that way. They will look at the 17-10 score against unranked 5-2 Arizona and move teams like Texas Tech, Florida and Georgia ahead of USC.

It won’t matter to the BCS voters and their computer that the Trojans have the best defense in the country. They vote for offenses not defenses.

And don’t look for the Trojans to make any upward progress next week as they go up against the winless Washington Huskies, who were dominated by Notre Dame today, 33-7.