The USC Trojans come to Oregon this weekend, and they come with a vengeance.
The Trojans have nothing to lose, with the exception of their second Pac-10 game, because the recent history between the two teams has USC a little upset.
USC (5-2, 3-1 Pac-10) has lost its past four matchups with Oregon. Last year, the game was decided by an Oregon field goal with 14 seconds left, and in 1999, the game went to triple overtime. That game was also decided by a field goal.
But things change. USC has changed. Many of the Trojan players have stepped up in their roles this season with several beginning to fulfill their potential.
Senior quarterback Carson Palmer leads the Trojans and has found his niche as one of the nation’s marquee signal-callers.

Palmer is a four-year veteran with USC and holds six career records for the Trojans. Palmer has completed 60.3 percent of his passes for 1,981 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2002.
The senior is ranked 16th nationally in total offense, at 271.6 yards per game, and third in the Pac-10.
“Carson Palmer is playing like a true veteran quarterback,” Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti said. “He’s always been a great athlete, but he’s playing like a great quarterback right now.”
Last week, Palmer threw for 348 yards and four touchdowns against Washington to lead No.19 USC to a 41-21 victory over the Huskies.
In other offense, rushing hasn’t been the strongest point for the Trojans in the recent past. In 2001, USC averaged only 87.7 rushing yards per game, mostly because injuries plagued the Trojan runners.
The fact that senior tailback Sultan McCullough was sidelined after six games in 2001 with a strained abdominal muscle didn’t help, either. But he is back now and better than ever in leading all other USC rushers.
McCullough has rushed for 608 yards this season and is averaging 80.9 yards per game, placing him third in the Pac-10. He has rushed for 100 yards 11 times in his career. McCullough is also one of the fastest players to ever wear a Trojan uniform after winning the 1999 Pac-10 100-meter championship in track and field.
“Sultan McCullough is the fastest running back we will face, and probably one of the fastest in the nation,” Bellotti said.
The Trojan defense isn’t looking bad, either, as senior strong safety Troy Polamalu was named by Sports Illustrated as one of five “Terminators” in college football this season.
He was described as a player “boasting an otherworldly combination of speed, strength and athleticism … who can single-handedly kill off drives and wreak havoc on game plans.”
Polamalu has 34 tackles for the Trojans in his third year as a starter and has become USC’s first All-American first team safety since 1989.
“Troy Polamalu is one of the best players I’ve ever coached, “USC head coach Pete Carroll said. “Pound for pound, he is our strongest player and he has been a star in our off-season conditioning program. I can’t imagine a better safety in college football in 2002.”
The Trojans aren’t suffering from injuries like they were last year, but linebacker Aaron Graham is out to a hip injury and tailback Darryl Poston is out with a back injury, among others.
USC is one win ahead of the Ducks in Pac-10 play, but sits right behind Oregon in 15th in the Associated Press Poll, making Saturday’s matchup all the more anticipated.
The Ducks had several streaks snapped in Saturday’s loss to Arizona State, and USC is coming off a strong win over No. 22 Washington, but history does not prove favorable to the Trojans.
It’s a question of whether history will repeat itself.
“It is an important opportunity for our team to go up against a team that was so hot last year and is off to another great start this season,” Carroll said. “Oregon has been very effective in the Pac-10 over the last couple of years, so we’re looking forward to this game.”