Southern Cal vs Arizona Match Up Preview
The University of Arizona Wildcats head coach Mike Stoops is trying to rebuild the football program the right way, through solid defense and a dependable running game. In last Saturday’s (Sept 16) game with Stephen F.Austin, the Wildcats got both as junior running back Chris Jennings rushed for 201 yards and a pair of scores and the defense held SFA to only 10 points to help the Wildcats to a 28-10 victory extending the Cat’s record to 2-1. On Saturday (Sept.23) the Wildcats will play (on ABC TV) the second top-10 team in three weeks as they play host to the Southern Cal Trojans, (2-0). On Sept.9th Arizona traveled to Death Valley for a date with the LSU Tigers. The Tigers were the bigger Cat slapping Arizona around and taking a 45-3 victory.
This year will mark USC”s first trip to Tucson since 2003. The Wildcats and Trojans have squared off against each other the last two years in Los Angeles. Arizona’s longest winning streak in the all-time series is two straight accomplished twice however USC has won the last four. Since joining the Pac-10 in 1978, Arizona is 6-16 against the Trojans. The last time the Wildcats won at home in Tucson was 1999.
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The three-time defending Pac-10 champions Trojans, head to Tucson for their first conference opener with a 2-0 record after defeating Arkansas and Nebraska to open the season. The Trojans enter the week ranked No.3 in the latest AP Poll, up one sport from the previous week. When in possession of the ball, USC boasts the No. 7 scoring offense (39 ppg) in the nation and the No. 15 ranked in total offense (435 ppg ). Replacing 2004 Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart at quarterback, Junior John David Booty enters the game against the Cats with a No. 19 ranked passing efficiency ranking.
Replacing the two headed monster of 2005 Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush and LenDale White in the backfield are a trio of rushers in Emmanuel Moody, Chauncey Washington and C.J. Gable. The three running backs combine to average 154 yards on the ground per game. Wide Receiver Dwayne Jarrett ranks fifth among Division-one pass catchers with an average of eight per game and he is 24th in the nation in receiving yards per game with 85.5 per contest.
Defensively the Trojans are 22nd nationally in total defense and 18th in scoring defense. Linebacker Ray Manualuga leads SC with 17 total tackles on the year.
Head coach Pete Carroll is in his sixth season at USC and he put together an impressive 56-10 record.
Carroll knows what to expect out of the Wildcats. “They have played us well.” Carroll said. “With their style of play, they don’t take on a lot of chances and put themselves in bad positions. They force you to execute. They are very well schemed defensively. It’s like Nebraska where they position themselves in spots where they are always going to be in the right place. That means they are not going to give you anything and I think that’s what a good team football team does, they make you earn your way. “
Arizona Mike Stoops has beaten ranked teams for two of his five Division 1A victories and the Wildcats have been with a touchdown of beating three other ranked squads. “I hope we can play to the level of this competition,” Stoops said.
Quarterback Willie Tuitama who suffered a concussion in Arizona’s 45-3 loss to then-No 8 LSU two weeks ago is expected to start after coming off the bench last Saturday to go 6-of-9 for 61 yards and a touchdown in a 28-10 win over SFA. Tuitama however has completed only 50.8 percent of his passes this season while throwing for two touchdowns and three interceptions.
The Trojans are favored by a 22-point chalk and the total is 49 points.
Line Souther California –22, Total 49
TV-ABC (regional) ESPN (GP) Kickoff 7 p.m. (EDT)
