COLLEGE FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : USC : It Doesn’t Get Easier

Out of the frying pan . . . After giving up an average of 409 yards during its seven-game winless streak, including 391 in its season-opening 31-31 tie against San Diego State, USC will face another high-powered attack when it plays Oklahoma on Sept. 19 at Norman, Okla.

During ESPN’s telecast of the Sooners’ 34-9 rout of Texas Tech last week, in which Oklahoma quarterback Cale Gundy broke a school record by passing for 341 yards, analyst Mike Gottfried told his audience: “This offense is scary. I see very few ways to stop it.”

Five players have rushed for more than 130 yards against USC in the Trojans’ last six games, with Marshall Faulk of San Diego State joining Kevin Williams of UCLA, Beno Bryant of Washington, Russell White of California and Jerome Bettis of Notre Dame. . . . Faulk had 11 runs of nine yards or more against USC.

USC tailback Deon Strother, who was sidelined against San Diego State because of an ankle injury, is also expected to sit out against Oklahoma. . . . Of the 13 third-down pass plays called by USC against San Diego State, four resulted in first downs. . . . Quarterback Rob Johnson was sacked five times by San Diego State, but Coach Larry Smith said that was less the fault of the offensive line and more the fault of missed assignments by tailbacks Estrus Crayton and Dwight McFadden.