USC visits Virginia in season opener
editor1 |Aug 25,2008
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No. 2 Southern California at Virginia, 3:30 pm EDT
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia (Ticker) -- Southern California can
take a significant step toward a BCS championship with a win
over Ohio State on September 13. But before they tangle with
the Buckeyes, the Trojans will have to deal with Virginia.
The second-ranked Trojans hope to avoid looking ahead to their
showdown with Ohio State when they visit the Cavaliers on
Saturday in the season opener for both schools.
One of the deepest and most talented teams in the country, USC
is the prohibitive favorite to win the Pac-10 Conference this
year. The Trojans also are among a small group of legitimate
front-runners to reach this season's BCS title game in Miami.
Southern Cal will face a difficult challenge in its second game,
when third-ranked Ohio State visits the Los Angeles Coliseum.
But the Trojans, who rolled past Illinois to win last year's
Rose Bowl, first must avoid an upset at the hands of Virginia,
which posted nine victories last season and finished second in
the Atlantic Coast Conference's Coastal Division.
Southern Cal returns 13 starters from a squad that went 11-2 en
route to a first-place finish in the Pac-10 and a sixth
consecutive BCS bowl appearance.
However, USC head coach Pete Carroll will have a new face under
center in Mark Sanchez, who will serve as the Trojans' starting
quarterback.
Sanchez appeared in six games - including two starts - last
season, completing 60.5 percent of his passes for 695 yards and
seven touchdowns. The junior suffered a dislocated kneecap in
practice earlier this month but figures to be ready for the game
against the Cavaliers.
Virginia had a chance to win the ACC Coastal last season but
lost to Virginia Tech in its regular-season finale. The
Cavaliers also squandered a 14-point lead en route to a stunning
31-28 loss to Texas Tech in the Gator Bowl.
The Cavaliers, who enter their eighth year under coach Al Groh,
lost 11 starters - including All-American defensive end Chris
Long - from last year's squad.
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