Trojans Enjoya Roll

In a city that knows a thing or two about feeling lucky, Carson Palmer recently found himself musing about the joys of a winning streak.

“There’s nothing like it,” he said. “You get a little bounce in your step.”

The USC quarterback has seen this change in his teammates the last two months, ever since they began a four-game tear that was capped by an unexpected 27-0 victory over UCLA. Palmer calls it “a feeling you’re going to win no matter what.”

It is a feeling the Trojans would like to nurse along for at least one more game as they face Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl this afternoon.

A final victory would cap what has already been an unexpected comeback, the team rebounding from a 2-5 start. And the oddsmakers here--always appreciative of a hot hand--have found reason to make USC a slight favorite.

The Trojans (6-5) have the kind of speed Utah has not seen much of this season. They have endured a tougher conference schedule, too, playing down to the wire against Oregon and Washington.

More important, as the season wore on they displayed a knack for making big plays late in the game. Utah, on the other hand, finished its regular season by blowing fourth-quarter leads against rival Brigham Young and Air Force.

But there are also reasons for concern.

The Utes insist the disappointing losses have made them hungry for redemption on national television. As receiver Cliff Russell put it, “We’ve got to take our frustration out on somebody.” And they have the type of offense that could give USC fits.

All season, Utah (7-4) has pounded away with a steady ground game, even on third-and-long, even when they fall behind. The 223-pound Dameon Hunter has done most of the damage, gaining 127 yards a game, which ranks him among the top 10 rushers in the nation. He is spelled by Adam Tate, an even larger back who has scored a dozen touchdowns.

“We run at people,” Hunter said. “We run ‘em over.”

As a result, they have held onto the football an average of eight minutes longer than their opponents. And that worries USC.

Despite finishing near the top of the Pac-10 in several categories, the Trojan defense is undersized and often struggled against the run. To make matters worse, middle linebacker Mike Pollard twisted his knee in practice this week and will be replaced, at least at the start, by the less-experienced Aaron Graham.

If Utah can establish the run, the Trojans won’t have as many chances to switch to the nickel defense they like to play and there won’t be as many opportunities to create the turnovers that sparked their late-season streak. That leaves Coach Pete Carroll concerned about third downs and getting Utah off the field.

Look for Carroll, known as a defensive guru during his years in the NFL, to roll the dice with shifts and stunts along the line. Look for All-American safety Troy Polamalu to creep in for run support, leaving either of the cornerbacks, Antuan Simmons or Kris Richard, in man coverage against Russell.

“When the ball is in the air, he’s good at going up to get it,” Simmons said. “He’s going to catch a few but you have to try and limit him.”

The simplest solution, according to Palmer, is to keep the USC offense on the field as much as possible.

“We can’t be going three-and-out,” he said. “The way they run the ball, we’ve got to execute.”

That won’t be easy against the 17th-best defense in the nation. But USC will test Utah along the edges with freshman tailback Chris Howard. And the Trojans like their matchups in the passing game, especially with receiver Kareem Kelly and tight end Kori Dickerson.

Utah Coach Ron McBride worries about all that speed and the obvious transformation in a USC team that, not so long ago, glumly came away from Notre Dame with a 2-5 record.

“These guys are on a roll,” McBride said. “You see them getting better and better as the weeks go by.”

That’s what Palmer meant when he talked about the bounce he and his teammates have acquired. When the 21-year-old quarterback lost money gambling a few days ago, it made him even more eager to return to the football field.

“There’s a definite amount of confidence you get,” he said. “It makes you want to keep winning.”