If Trojans Falter, They’ll Be Upset

The weight of all those Oregon State losses sometimes makes it seem as if it will never change--as if sheer momentum will carry USC to victory after victory just as it has the last 24 times these teams have played.

But one year, Oregon State is going to win.

Just not this year, USC plans to prove tonight at the Coliseum.

USC Coach Paul Hackett was hardly miffed when he pulled a piece of paper from his pocket at practice the other day.

“Sports Illustrated says we’re the Upset Special of the week,” he said.

Oregon State over No. 18 USC in a clash of unbeatens? At least that gave him everyone’s attention.

Tonight is the final game of what could be called the Don’t Blow It portion of USC’s schedule. After this looms No. 11 Florida State, and then the Pacific 10 Conference season that opens tonight against the Beavers starts rolling--with Arizona State, California, Washington State, Oregon, Washington, Stanford and UCLA.

“I’m happy we’re 2-0,” said offensive lineman Travis Claridge, a junior. “Ever since I’ve been here, our first game, we always lost.

“But we still have a lot of room for improvement. We’ve got to get better. We’ve got to get a lot better.”

Tonight marks the end of a stretch in which USC had three games to win, but a lot more than that to lose.

A loss to Purdue would have been a gaffe because it was an early extra game USC didn’t have to schedule.

A loss to San Diego State? An embarrassment at the hands of former coach Ted Tollner against a school that would like to pluck a few recruits from the Trojans.

And a loss to Oregon State tonight would be the Trojans’ first since 1967, when then-coach Dee Andros’ Giant Killers beat O.J. Simpson and the eventual national champion Trojans, 3-0.

This marks the end of one part of the season, and the beginning of another.

“I think we have to look at this game differently than the first two,” Hackett said. “This is a conference game. Conference games are more important than the others, because our goal is the Rose Bowl. We have to win this game.”

USC is at something less than full strength, with starters at six positions either sidelined or not starting because of injuries.

Tailback Chad Morton won’t start after sitting out practices nursing a strained back, but figures to step in behind Petros Papadakis quickly. How close to full speed Morton will be remains to be seen.

At center, with regulars Eric Denmon and Matt McShane injured, left guard Jason Grain steps in, with David Pratchard filling in for Grain at guard.

Lonnie Ford is starting at tight end ahead of Antoine Harris, who didn’t practice all week because of a sprained ankle but is available.

On defense, lineman Lawrence Larry, linebacker Mark Cusano and safety Grant Pearsall are all playing limited roles because of assorted injuries.

Nevertheless, the Trojans are the decided favorites against Oregon State once again, even though the Beavers are 2-0 for the first time since 1985 under Coach Mike Riley, who was USC’s offensive coordinator from 1993-96.

USC dominated Oregon State last season, recording its only shutout of the season in a 23-0 victory. But Oregon State’s offense is better after switching from the option to a three-receiver attack.

Former starting quarterback Tim Alexander, a gifted athlete, is now a receiver, and Terrance Bryant, a transfer from City College of San Francisco who lost only two games in two seasons there, has injected confidence into the team.

Freshman tailback Ken Simonton--who at 5 feet 7 and 181 pounds is smaller than the Trojans’ Morton, listed at 5-8 and 185--has rushed for 100 yards in each of the Beavers’ first two games, a 48-6 victory over Nevada and a 27-17 victory over Baylor.

Hackett also points to a defense led by Inoke Breckterfield, an undersized end at 5-11 and 249 pounds who made second-team all-conference last season. The Beavers have given up as many points as the Trojans--23, an average of 11 1/2 a game.

On the other hand, the Beavers are probably just the next victims in line for Trojan receiver R. Jay Soward, who scored three touchdowns last week--two of them spectacular--and took a teasing from Riley on the phone this week.

“You think you can skip this week?” Riley asked.

Riley knows both teams about as well as anyone. And because he grew up in Corvallis, he knows the history of the 24-game losing streak well.

“It’s a fact and it’s out there. Everyone talks about it,” Riley said. “But we feel that if we play like we can, and make plays, there’s a great opportunity to win the game.”