Beating Oregon State Keeps Trojans From Reliving History

There was a hint of deja vu at the Coliseum on Saturday.

Just like early November a year ago, USC was coming off a close victory on the road, trying to win a home game to preserve its hopes for a winning season. Just like a year ago, the offense came out flat against an underdog opponent from the Pacific Northwest.

Unlike last year’s loss to Washington State, however, the Trojans found a way to pull out a 16-13 overtime victory against Oregon State.

“This was huge for us,” quarterback Carson Palmer said. “Now we definitely have some momentum.”

After watching game film Sunday, Coach Pete Carroll talked about what went right against the Beavers, and what did not.

When the offense could not establish a running game, Oregon State was free to come after Palmer, sacking him six times and hurrying him on other occasions. For the second week in a row, the defense lulled in the second half. In some ways, the Trojans actually looked better in losses to nationally ranked opponents earlier this season.

But this time they won, and not only because Oregon State is less talented than the likes of Oregon and Washington.

The Trojans again showed they have gone a long way toward solving last season’s bugaboos.

Against the Beavers, they committed only four penalties and had only one turnover. Special teams scored a touchdown on a blocked punt and kicker David Davis continued his streak with a 30-yard field goal.

Just as important, the team stayed poised in a tight situation.

Two weeks ago, Carroll added a “competition” period to his practice, a few minutes near the end of each day when the offense and defense are put in hurry-up situations meant to mimic the final minutes of a game. The tempo quickens a little, the coaches’ voices a little louder.

“The whole idea is to get accustomed to it,” Carroll said.

But practice situations go only so far. Maybe those heart-breaking losses are paying dividends.

“It goes back to the early tough games,” defensive tackle Ryan Nielsen said. “It gives us confidence at this point of the year.”

Now Nielsen and his teammates believe they can pull out the close ones.

And although Palmer had a tough day, the offense never really finding its rhythm, his four-yard touchdown run in overtime might have been especially significant.

“He’s getting hammered and ... he’s still fighting,” Carroll said.

Offensive coordinator Norm Chow added: “He needs the confidence that the can win games at the end.”

Afterward, Palmer sat in front of his locker, his father Bill a few feet away, both of them smiling. The junior talked about tough times in his college career and a new attitude on the team.

“We’ve been through so much,” Palmer said. “You can’t give up.”