Eric the Red
Team HuskerBoard
Nebraska-Southern California Preview
Southern California didn't lose a step in its first game without its two Heisman Trophy winners in the backfield, but it faces a much bigger test in its second.
Two of the most celebrated college football powers meet Saturday night in Los Angeles when the fourth-ranked Trojans play No. 19 Nebraska for the first time in 36 years.
The Trojans (1-0) have won 46 of their last 48 games, won national championships in 2004 and 2005, and came within 19 seconds of beating Texas for an unprecedented third title in a row last season.
"They are the barometer of college football, and it will be a great test to see where we're at and how we measure up," Cornhuskers coach Bill Callahan said.
USC's recent run is comparable to Nebraska's success in the mid 1990s. The Cornhuskers (2-0) won titles in 1994, 1995 and 1997, and won 60 of 63 games from 1993-1997.
These schools haven't met since a 21-21 tie in 1970, and USC won their only other meeting, 31-21, in 1969.
The Trojans were idle this past weekend after winning their first game without Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart, 50-14 at Arkansas on Sept. 2.
USC led just 16-7 at halftime before quarterback John David Booty threw three second-half touchdown passes.
"It's great," said Booty, who finished with 261 passing yards. "Some people have doubted us - didn't know really what we had. To be able to come out tonight and score 50 points - I thought our offensive line and our running backs did a great job."
The Trojans, who have produced Heisman winners in O.J. Simpson, Marcus Allen and Bush at running back, started a true freshman at that position in a season opener for the first time.
C.J. Gable started and scored a touchdown, freshman running back Emmanuel Moody scored on a 9-yard run and freshman Allen Bradford added a 1-yard run.
"With the three young tailbacks all getting touchdowns, that's pretty cool," USC coach Pete Carroll said.
The Trojans have had an amazing run during Carroll's four years at the helm, including four top-four finishes, four Pac-10 championships and four BCS bowl appearances.
Callahan is in his third season at Nebraska, trying to get the program back to prominence. He went 5-6 his first year and 8-4 with a three-game win streak to end 2005.
"We're striving to be the best we can, and that's always our objective - to be the No. 1 team in the country," Callahan said. "This program was there under coach (Tom) Osborne, and we're trying to get back to that level again."
After defeating Louisiana Tech 49-10 in the season opener, the Huskers routed I-AA Nicholls State 56-7 last Saturday.
Nebraska outgained the overmatched Colonels 498-187 as Zac Taylor threw a career-high four touchdown passes, Marlon Lucky ran for 103 yards and the Huskers scored on six of their first seven possessions while building a 42-0 lead.
Playing against weaker opponents, Nebraska boasts one of the top offenses in the nation. It's second nationally in scoring (52.5 ppg) and third in total offense (541 ypg), but Callahan doesn't think USC will be bothered by those rankings.
"I don't think they're going to be intimidated by any of the guys who come in there," Callahan said. "(We're) just another team for them, I think. Look at the competition they've gone against in Texas and the competition in the Pac-10. I don't think that will faze them whatsoever."
Dwayne Jarrett, a 2005 All-American, and Steve Smith are two of the nation's top receivers and could create problems for the Huskers and their injury-plagued secondary.
Zackary Bowman, Nebraska's best cover man, was lost for the season to a knee injury in August. Cortney Grixby has been playing with a broken thumb, and backup corner Isaiah Fluellen sustained a season-ending knee injury against Louisiana Tech.
The Cornhuskers only defended three passes in their win over Nicholls State, which runs the triple option offense.
"It has its down side," Grixby said. "Our mind set changes for next week. They're going to throw the ball around a lot. It's nothing we're not used to, so we're going to come out in practice and get ready for USC."
The Huskers have not faced a top-10 opponent since Oklahoma in 2004, and they have lost three straight road games against top-10 teams since winning at Washington in 1997.
Southern California didn't lose a step in its first game without its two Heisman Trophy winners in the backfield, but it faces a much bigger test in its second.
Two of the most celebrated college football powers meet Saturday night in Los Angeles when the fourth-ranked Trojans play No. 19 Nebraska for the first time in 36 years.
The Trojans (1-0) have won 46 of their last 48 games, won national championships in 2004 and 2005, and came within 19 seconds of beating Texas for an unprecedented third title in a row last season.
"They are the barometer of college football, and it will be a great test to see where we're at and how we measure up," Cornhuskers coach Bill Callahan said.
USC's recent run is comparable to Nebraska's success in the mid 1990s. The Cornhuskers (2-0) won titles in 1994, 1995 and 1997, and won 60 of 63 games from 1993-1997.
These schools haven't met since a 21-21 tie in 1970, and USC won their only other meeting, 31-21, in 1969.
The Trojans were idle this past weekend after winning their first game without Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart, 50-14 at Arkansas on Sept. 2.
USC led just 16-7 at halftime before quarterback John David Booty threw three second-half touchdown passes.
"It's great," said Booty, who finished with 261 passing yards. "Some people have doubted us - didn't know really what we had. To be able to come out tonight and score 50 points - I thought our offensive line and our running backs did a great job."
The Trojans, who have produced Heisman winners in O.J. Simpson, Marcus Allen and Bush at running back, started a true freshman at that position in a season opener for the first time.
C.J. Gable started and scored a touchdown, freshman running back Emmanuel Moody scored on a 9-yard run and freshman Allen Bradford added a 1-yard run.
"With the three young tailbacks all getting touchdowns, that's pretty cool," USC coach Pete Carroll said.
The Trojans have had an amazing run during Carroll's four years at the helm, including four top-four finishes, four Pac-10 championships and four BCS bowl appearances.
Callahan is in his third season at Nebraska, trying to get the program back to prominence. He went 5-6 his first year and 8-4 with a three-game win streak to end 2005.
"We're striving to be the best we can, and that's always our objective - to be the No. 1 team in the country," Callahan said. "This program was there under coach (Tom) Osborne, and we're trying to get back to that level again."
After defeating Louisiana Tech 49-10 in the season opener, the Huskers routed I-AA Nicholls State 56-7 last Saturday.
Nebraska outgained the overmatched Colonels 498-187 as Zac Taylor threw a career-high four touchdown passes, Marlon Lucky ran for 103 yards and the Huskers scored on six of their first seven possessions while building a 42-0 lead.
Playing against weaker opponents, Nebraska boasts one of the top offenses in the nation. It's second nationally in scoring (52.5 ppg) and third in total offense (541 ypg), but Callahan doesn't think USC will be bothered by those rankings.
"I don't think they're going to be intimidated by any of the guys who come in there," Callahan said. "(We're) just another team for them, I think. Look at the competition they've gone against in Texas and the competition in the Pac-10. I don't think that will faze them whatsoever."
Dwayne Jarrett, a 2005 All-American, and Steve Smith are two of the nation's top receivers and could create problems for the Huskers and their injury-plagued secondary.
Zackary Bowman, Nebraska's best cover man, was lost for the season to a knee injury in August. Cortney Grixby has been playing with a broken thumb, and backup corner Isaiah Fluellen sustained a season-ending knee injury against Louisiana Tech.
The Cornhuskers only defended three passes in their win over Nicholls State, which runs the triple option offense.
"It has its down side," Grixby said. "Our mind set changes for next week. They're going to throw the ball around a lot. It's nothing we're not used to, so we're going to come out in practice and get ready for USC."
The Huskers have not faced a top-10 opponent since Oklahoma in 2004, and they have lost three straight road games against top-10 teams since winning at Washington in 1997.
