Which State Will Trojans Play in Now? : USC: Will the inspired team that beat Penn State, or the flat one that lost to Memphis State, be facing Arizona State today?

It’s not known if USC will be as emotionally charged for today’s game against Arizona State at the Coliseum as it was for last week’s nationally televised victory over Penn State.

But Larry Marmie isn’t counting on anything less than an inspired effort from the Trojans.

“We certainly look for them to pressure us,” the Arizona State coach said. “I think they’ll play us with the same intensity and the same aggressiveness that they played Penn State.”

It’s the Pacific 10 Conference opener for both schools, so one will find itself in the same predicament it faced last year. Both lost to Washington in their conference openers.

Although USC finished in second place, neither the Trojans nor the Sun Devils were factors in the race as Washington cruised to the championship.

Arizona State ended an injury-plagued season with a 4-7 record, including a 13-6 loss to USC at Tempe, Ariz., and left its coach without much job security.

“I think everybody knows--it isn’t any secret--I’m in the last year of my contract,” said Marmie, whose record in more than three seasons at ASU is 17-16-1. “I like coaching at Arizona State. I’d like to coach here for a long time. Obviously, you’ve got to win games to do that.”

It is generally conceded that Marmie’s future in Tempe is in jeopardy if the Sun Devils don’t improve on last year’s performance, which included a 2-5 record and eighth-place finish in the Pac-10.

Several key players are gone, among them quarterback Paul Justin, tailback Leonard Russell and safety Nathan LaDuke, but 14 starters have returned, eight on defense.

Last week, the Sun Devils opened the season with a 30-3 victory over Oklahoma State at Stillwater, Okla., limiting the Cowboys to 80 yards rushing.

Arizona State’s defensive leader is cornerback Phillippi Sparks, who has been projected as a first-round NFL draft pick.

Sophomore quarterback Bret Powers led a balanced attack against Oklahoma State, completing 14 of 25 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown, with one interception. Three passes went to split end Eric Guliford, who ranked fifth in the Pac-10 last season with 48 receptions for 837 yards.

The Sun Devils rushed for 186 yards, with fullback Kevin Fisher gaining 50 and scoring a touchdown in 12 carries. Last season, Fisher was Arizona State’s No. 2 rusher with 677 yards.

“We certainly have a lot of room for improvement, but it was good to get off to a good start,” Marmie said. “Defensively, we felt we played very well, considering it was the opening game. We scored a touchdown on defense (on a 71-yard fumble return by safety Jean Boyd) and, for the most part, controlled the game.”

Outscoring the Cowboys in the second half, 20-0, Arizona State limited Oklahoma State to three first downs. Overall, the Sun Devils took advantage of five turnovers, stopping three drives with interceptions and converting two fumble recoveries to touchdowns.

USC made a complete about-face, pulling off an emotional 21-10 upset of Penn State only 12 days after sleepwalking through a 24-10 opening-game defeat by Memphis State.

The Trojans, too, were opportunistic, scoring after two of their five take-aways against Penn State. USC’s last two touchdown drives covered 35 and 14 yards.

“We showed that we can handle some adversity,” Coach Larry Smith said. “But one game doesn’t make a season. Now we have to show that we can handle success.”

Not to mention Arizona State.

Trojan Notes

USC ranks ninth in the Pac-10 in passing offense, third in rushing offense and ninth in total offense. “We are not a smooth-operating offense at all,” Coach Larry Smith said. . . . Twelve of USC’s 22 starters against Penn State were freshmen or sophomores. . . . USC has not beaten Arizona State in the Coliseum since 1980, having lost, 34-14, in 1983, and 29-20 in 1986.

Said Smith of USC’s victory over Penn State: “I think there’s no question we took a big step. It was badly needed for a young team that hadn’t tasted victory yet.” . . . A crowd of about 70,000 is expected.

Arizona State Coach Larry Marmie watched videotape of USC against Memphis State, but he said his game plan was constructed around what he saw last year against the Sun Devils and last week against Penn State. “Certainly, we feel like that was the real USC team that was playing against Penn State,” he said.