USC vs. Hawaii 2010 College Football Picks: The No. 14-ranked (AP) USC football team, with Lane Kiffin making his Trojan head coaching debut, will help kick off the 2010 college football season when it travels to Honolulu to face Hawaii in an ESPN nationally-televised Thursday night game (11 pm ET).
The game will be the seventh in a series when USC has won all six tries, scoring 60 or more points in each of the past three meetings. The Trojans have won their last 12 openers and its past 16 non-conference games. Of course the streak all under the Pete Carroll regime.
The USC roster is thinned out some from 2009 due to defections following the NCAA's stiff sanctions. Kiffin only has 74 scholarship players on hand but there are enough returning players to form a good nucleus. Kiffin inherited a team that went 9-4 last season finishing with a win in the Emerald Bowl.
The USC offense will be guided by QB Matt Barkley, a true sophomore starting his second season. The running back corps is deep, with the likes of TBs Allen Bradford, Marc Tyler and C.J. Gable and versatile veteran FB Stanley Havili.
USC's defense, which started last season off strong before surrendering unusually high yardage and scoring figures, also should be better in 2010. The front seven appears to be the heart of the defense, with a line led by the likes of DT Jurrell Casey and DE Armond Armstead and LBs Malcolm Smith, Chris Galippo, Devon Kennard and Michael Morgan. CB Shareece Wright is the only veteran in an otherwise-green secondary.
Hawaii head coach Greg McMackin's squad, 6-7 last year, features an aerial attack offense that was third nationally in passing and 14th in total offense in 2009. QB Bryant Moniz throws to veteran WRs Greg Salas (an All-WAC first teamer with 106 catches and 8 scores last fall who was fourth nationally in receiving yards and sixth in receptions), Kealoha Pilares and Rodney Bradley. The Warrior defense features 7 returning starters, including the entire secondary led by S Spencer Smith, whose 6 interceptions last fall ranked 11th nationally.
USC will probably win this game but doing so by more than three touchdowns is a reach. The game is actually a mystery because until we see them play under Kiffin's leadership there will be plenty of question marks. I am going out on a limb and predicting Hawai'i plays well enough to keep the final score tighter than three touchdowns. USC wins but Hawai'i covers +21 1/2.
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