There’s no need to be cocky

USC’s intimidation factor in the Pacific 10 Conference is long gone.

Oregon State erased it last season when the Beavers upset a previously unbeaten and third-ranked USC team at Corvallis, Ore., the first of four losses in the once-dominant Trojans’ last 10 conference games.

Today, USC (6-2, 3-2 in Pac-10 play) will try to regain some of its swagger against an Oregon State team that is 5-3 overall, 3-2 in conference, has won three straight and is intent on beating the Trojans at the Coliseum for the first time since 1960.

The Trojans, out of the hunt for the Bowl Championship Series title, still could possibly reach the Rose Bowl by winning their remaining four games.

However, the Trojans will have to elevate their level of play -- especially on offense.

Much of the blame for the offense’s struggles has fallen on coordinator Steve Sarkisian, who shared the title with the oft-criticized Lane Kiffin in 2005 and 2006 before Kiffin left to coach the Oakland Raiders.

Kiffin and Sarkisian succeeded Norm Chow, who helped the Trojans win two national titles before joining the Tennessee Titans’ staff.

One Pac-10 coach, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that losing Kiffin might have been a bigger factor than losing Chow.

“I notice it a little more this year than I did last year,” the coach said.

The same coach said the Trojans also have suffered because some players have failed to live up to expectations.

USC’s receivers, for example, made strides against Notre Dame and Oregon, but the coach said, “I just don’t know that they possess the separation speed or the overwhelming ability to make plays.”

The Trojans also continue to lack the consistent big-play ability that Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush and LenDale White provided in 2003-2005. Freshman Joe McKnight has shown flashes, but, “they’re just not quite as explosive,” a Pac-10 coordinator said of the Trojans.

Some of USC’s difficulties can be attributed to injuries. For example, the Trojans’ offensive line played without center Matt Spanos for the first three games because of a torn triceps and without guard Chilo Rachal and center Kris O’Dowd for stretches after they suffered knee injuries on the same play against Washington. And All-American tackle Sam Baker has been hobbled by a hamstring tear.

Tailback Stafon Johnson and quarterback John David Booty also have sat out games because of injuries.

“You got to look at the depth,” the coordinator said. “If anybody could overcome injuries, you would think they could.”

USC also has hurt itself with penalties and turnovers.

The Trojans have been penalized more than any team in the conference and have had 14 passes intercepted, three more than all of last season.

“I don’t know that that’s play-calling,” the coach said.

Coaching does seem to be a factor, though, the coordinator said: “ . . . just look at his first staff that he had and look at where all those coaches are compared to the staff he has now. . . .”

Said the coach, “I think Norm Chow is one of the geniuses in college football. He did it at three different institutions. You can’t really put a value on what a coordinator brings to an offense.”

As for the Trojans defense, the coach sees little drop-off. “Defensively, they’re extremely talented. As big and as fast as any team in the country.”

Even though the Trojans’ ranking has slid to No. 13 after they opened No. 1 in the nation, to Oregon State Coach Mike Riley they still look plenty formidable. “USC looks great to me,” he said. “They have a lot of talent and they are well coached, which is a bad combination for opponents.”

Riley said the Trojans’ success -- USC has won five consecutive conference titles -- forced conference opponents to raise their level of play.

“They set the bar over the past two years very high for the Pac-10. It’s made everyone have to step up or get left behind,” Riley said. “What we have now is a lot of competition in our league.”

USC coaches are confident the Trojans will right themselves with the return of Booty, who will play for the first time since suffering a broken right middle finger against Stanford on Oct. 6.

Having the fifth-year senior back should enable Sarkisian to open up an offense that was forced to play more conservatively because of backup Mark Sanchez’s inexperience.

“He had a good solid week and he’s ready to play,” Coach Pete Carroll said of Booty. “Hopefully, that couple weeks off hasn’t thrown him out of kilter.”

Last season, Booty rallied the Trojans from a 23-point third-quarter deficit before the Beavers tipped away a possible game-tying conversion pass to win, 33-31.

Booty said he was not sure if he would feel nervous before his first start in four weeks.

“Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t,” he said. “Why that is I don’t know. But that’s part of the game and that’s one of the reasons I like it, that whole rush and getting that feeling before a big game.

“And this is definitely one of those games.”

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gary.klein@latimes.com

david.wharton@latimes.com

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VS. OREGON ST.

Today at the Coliseum, 5 p.m., Channel 7