Coming into its matchup with No. 4 Oregon, No. 18 USC@@http://www.ncaa.com/rankings/football/fbs@@ had a strong case as one of the most underrated teams in the country. After 60 up-and-down minutes in Autzen Stadium, the Trojans likely staked their claim as college football’s version of Rodney Dangerfield.@@http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001098/@@
Head coach Lane Kiffin@@http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/kiffin_lane01.html@@ was asked after the game whether his team was underestimated coming into Eugene. In typical fashion, USC’s second-year head coach poked fun at the media giving his program less credit than it deserved.
“I’m sure there will still be a writer in the AP that we won’t break the top 25,” Kiffin said with a smile. “So we’ll see, whatever. We don’t care much about that. Just proud of our guys and how they played.”
USC used an efficient passing game and reliable rushing attack to take out Oregon at home, 38-35. The victory was the Trojans’ first in the state of Oregon since 2005@@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=3383&SPID=233&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=205336357&DB_OEM_ID=500@@ and broke a 21-game winning streak for the Ducks at Autzen Stadium.@@see previous@@
Quarterback Matt Barkley,@@http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/barkley_matt00.html@@ a projected top-10 pick in next year’s NFL draft, put together one of the most memorable performances of his career. The junior was 26 of 34 for 323 yards and four touchdowns, with only one interception.@@box score: http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205266631@@ Kiffin said the outing should be enough to catapult Barkley back into an already-crowded race for the Heisman Trophy.
“We were here nine years ago, and Carson Palmer lit these guys up and put himself in the lead and ended up winning it,” Kiffin said. “So I don’t know if you’re not going to vote because he’s on probation or sanctions … but if you look at what he’s done with a bunch of young people, I can’t imagine there’s other people putting up his numbers with a bunch of young kids around.”
USC’s passing game was clicking on all cylinders in the first half. The team’s top wide receivers — freshman Marqise Lee@@changed from Marquis: http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/lee_marqise00.html@@ and sophomore Robert Woods@@http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/woods_robert00.html@@ — played their typical starring roles. The duo combined for 143 yards and three scores in the first two quarters to help USC to a 21-7 halftime lead.@@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205266631@@
Barkley’s third touchdown pass was the 73rd of his career, which placed him ahead of Palmer for second on USC’s all-time list.@@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=3383&SPID=233&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=205336357&DB_OEM_ID=500@@
During its first few series of the game, USC relied primarily on short-yardage, high-percentage throws. When USC felt they had lured Oregon’s defensive backs close to the line of scrimmage, they countered with long throws that burned the Ducks’ secondary on multiple occasions.
“We talked about it a lot in practice,” Lee said. “You go for the short things first, make them come down. Then, after a while, you go deep.”
And go deep the Trojans did. The most memorable strike was a 59-yard touchdown pass from Barkley to Lee in the first quarter that put the Trojans on top 7-0@@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205266631@@ and quieted the notoriously raucous fans at Autzen Stadium. Kiffin said he was thrilled to see Lee step up with his No. 1 option, Woods, playing at less than 100 percent.
“I think if you start throwing out Marqise’s@@changed@@ numbers — whatever they are over the past four, five weeks — I’m sure he’s playing as well as anybody in the country, and he’s just a kid,” Kiffin said. “He really stepped up and played huge. And I think it was important to him. He had to read and hear about (Oregon’s freshman running back) De’Anthony (Thomas)@@CE@@ every day. So it was big for him to show up and throw his hat in there as a pretty good player.”
In the first half, USC struggled on the ground with 15 rushes for 29 yards. Starter Curtis McNeal@@http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/mcneal_curtis00.html@@ went into the locker room with seven carries for 25 yards.@@what’s with the first half crap?@@ But in the final two quarters, USC used an up-the-gut philosophy to wear down the Ducks and eat up clock. McNeal finished with 20 carries for 94 yards@@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205266631@@ and moved the chains in several key situations during Oregon’s crazed comeback attempt. USC’s offensive line emerged as the unsung hero as the team clung to victory.
“They brought it,” Barkley said. “I mean our O-line — no sacks again, opening up big holes like no other. They were kind of a mismatched group at the beginning of this season, and they’ve come together to play like a unit, and I’m really proud of them.”
On the other side of the ball, USC did what few teams have done in the past three seasons: make Oregon look human. The Ducks were limited to 4.4 yards per carry,@@see previous@@ and committed several key gaffes, including four fumbles, two of which were lost.@@see previous@@
“I don’t think we changed a whole lot schematically (from last year),” Kiffin said. “I think we’ve improved as a second year in the system. Probably one of the most exciting things in the day was to see that we came up here and were fortunate to beat Oregon with three freshman linebackers. That’s saying a lot versus probably the best offense in the country.”
The Trojans limited LaMichael James,@@CE@@ the nation’s leading rusher in yards per game,@@http://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/individual/1001@@ to 78 yards on 20 carries.@@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205266631@@ Though the Ducks used a flurry of highlight plays to draw close the Trojans late in the fourth quarter, Kiffin said he never felt safe against a notoriously quick-striking Oregon team.
“I never felt comfortable, you can’t,” Kiffin said. “They’re so explosive. Not only on the offense, but when you’re scoring you have to kick it to De’Anthony or try not to.
“Thank God we didn’t go to overtime. We were running out of people. Rhett (Ellison)@@http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/ellison_rhett00.html@@ was done for the game. Ross Cumming@@http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/cumming_ross00.html@@ was done for the game. We didn’t have a fullback.”
Asked if the win over Oregon was the biggest in his two years as head coach of USC, Kiffin didn’t hesitate.
“Yeah, that’s easy,” Kiffin said. “To break the longest home winning streak in the country says a lot about this team and how far they’ve come.”
USC, Lane Kiffin claim landmark victory with win over No. 4 Oregon
Daily Emerald
November 19, 2011
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