USC -ND Interesting Barometer game

I realize Fraud will show up and celebrate a USC loss.  And people want to hang the coach and all that.  But I kinda came into this with a little different mindset, much as I hate ND.    First, most of us had this as an L to begin the season and are used to games falling apart here.  So let’s go through it.

To be a top 5-10 program you need top talent, on the field and coaching.  Mature talent.  You need to be able to play physical football.  Run the ball, play good D, control the lines.  Play well in marquee big games.  And repeat all the above on the road.  Obviously that’s asking a lot.

Michigan wo the NC two years ago and ND played for it last year.  Both are very physical teams, and both have many of the elements listed above.

USC looks to be assembling top talent.  It’s a little young, immature, and not that deep but it’s definitely got talent to compete and more on the way.  I think the coaches are good enough to compete.

They played Physical football at home.  In friendly and familiar conditions last week.

This week they lost the physical battle on both lines on the road in wet weather.  You’re going to lose games doing that.

Last week they ran a lot.  This week they ran a bit.  It wasn’t awful but was not great.  So again, barometer.  What do we learn?  Team is improved, not improved enough to play a top 5-10 game in wet weather on the road.

All in all, more happy about UM game than bummed about ND.

Now, lets look at how that played out:

ND’s ability to control the line meant they ran for about 300 yards and USC for about 75.  I don’t pretend to be smarter than Riley but I thought Jackson was bashing and gaining yards.

ND clearly could not control the USC passing game and the USC WR’s.  So they grabbed and held on every play.  Assuming that either the refs would tire of throwing flags all the time or USC WR’s would be soft.  Hines for USC was a pleasant surprise.  The TE’s did well.  Jakobi Lane was soft.  I would not throw that guy a 50-50  all ever.  If he was thinking of the draft this year, no more.  Dude really needs to toughen up.

USC seized the lead 24-21 and immediately watched ND return a kick for a TD.  Second time ND has done that to a Riley team.  If I recall.

When you’re behind, you panic.  You press.  Maiava made a bad pass, throwing a PIC.  Lemon then inexcusably tried to force a failed play, fumble.  Later, Maiava forced a pass deep for their final turnover.

In addition, USC failed on two 4th down attempts   So add that to the turnovers, USC basically turned the ball over 5 times.

Do that and the other team clearly is going to have more shots at you and ND did.  Their QB wasn’t great at all.  The run game was.  See above.

I thought the USC D got a few stops.  ND missed a PAT and a FG.  USC D allowed 27 points.  If you can’t score 30 on the road, you deserve to lose.  USC scored 24.

I felt the 4th down calls forcing the screens to the TE were bad.  I think you show that and then evolve off of it.  Norm Chow used to do that.

The good: I thought USC could have fallen apart earlier and stayed in the game

I thought the K was solid.  P too.

I thought Maiava was pretty solid when he wasn’t under a pass only situation.  When they ran the offense, he was good.  Couple bad throws.

I thought Lane and Lemon as well as Hines really created problems for ND and will continue to do so for other teams.

I thought the team kept its composure and stayed in the game until late.

USC threw to 8 different receivers.

Lane and Lemon on the field at the same time give USC a lot of options.

USC has 1 penalty for 5 yards.  That’s a great improvement.

Much as folks will torch the D, the ND QB averaged 5.2 yards per attempt.  He wasn’t great and USC sniffed out his runs well.

Conclusion:

USC is about what I thought they were.  When I saw them beat Purdue and Moo U I was not impressed and said so.  The team we saw tonight was pretty similar to the one that played at Illinois.  Michigan was a perfect storm.

I think USC wins at home and is good enough to win games at home.  I think they win this game at home.  I think they beat NW, Iowa and NEB at home.  UCLA too.  Oregon they’d lose anywhere.     I believe of the above, USC has to play at NEB, Oregon and that’s it.  So if they beat NEB and lose to UO, and win those others at home, that’s about right for where things are.

Hate ND.  hate losing to those scumbags.  And of course, all the losers that show up here and are tranny Domers.  But this isn’t a huge surprise.  Just frustrating how this game was there for the taking but the team isn’t strong enough mentally or physically to win these on the road.  That’s the next step.  UO would be one of those hurdles, but I think UO is better than ND.

• This topic was modified 4 weeks ago by Java.