Brothers don't shake hands, brothers gotta hug!

Revenge. Retribution. Reestablishment of the natural order of things. However you choose to see this year's edition of the Trobuckalypse, it has been digging at the back of your mind whenever you think about Ohio State football for roughly nine months. 35-3 was ugly. This year, I don't see it being quite so ugly. We may even win, if USC's offense struggles in a way it simply hasn't against Big Ten teams the last eight or so years. If Ohio State thought it had its hands full against a powerful Navy triple-option rushing game, images of Joe McKnight dancing through the Ohio State secondary should serve as helpful reminder that a no-frills, between the tackles rushing game with a stellar offensive line can be no less unstoppable. 

USC is what Ohio State aspires to be offensively. I truly believe that Jim Tressel's ideal offense is not that different from USC's; quarterbacks dropping back from center, providing a downfield passing game that acts as genuine threat in case the other teams hedges its bets on stopping a multi-talented dynamic running game. This is what the Ohio State attack would look like if it had an offensive line blocking for it. As it often doesn't, we have to deal with two-step drops, slants, square-ins and outs to compensate for the deficiences in the offensive line. USC doesn't have to, the bastards. More after the jump.

Trojans you should care about:

I could cop out and simply say "the two deep" and no one would bat an eye. USC is undoubtedly the most talented team Ohio State will face next year barring a MNC "appearance" (and assuredly prompt disappearance) against Florida. Basically everyone on said two-deep would start on each Big Ten team, filling holes at Michigan, Penn State and Ohio State that haven't existed in Los Angeles for a few years now.

Well, if you watched last year's game and didn't immediately drown your sorrows afterward, you probably remember a darting, shifty little bastard by the name of Joe McKnight. McKnight carried the ball 12 times for 105 yards against Ohio State last year, but ended the year with just 89 carries for 659 yards. Stafon Johnson actually ended up being the Trojans' leading rusher last year in their surprisingly-effective committee approach to the ground game.

Of course, what really killed the Buckeyes on the scoreboard last year was the passing game. Four of USC's five touchdowns came through the air (technically all of them did if you count the Maualuga pick six). Damian Williams was instrumental in the blowout, catching 2 touchdowns on just three catches. Lastly, physical freak Taylor Mays is still lurking in the secondary, waiting to decapitate any and all foolhardy pass-catchers coming across the middle. Bruce Feldman, ho:

Mays' workout numbers are ridiculous. He's 6-3, 226 pounds, with 6 percent body fat and ran an electronically timed 40 this spring in 4.32 seconds. He did 26 reps with 225 pounds while also vertical jumping 41 inches and doing a standing broad jump of 11-4. (As evidence in his growth, Mays arrived at USC weighing 215 and posted a vertical jump of 35 inches and a broad jump of 10-0.)

Um. Yipe. And that was before last season. This season, among Feldman's notes:

 ...can bench-press 225 pounds 29 times....

This is Vernon Gholston-style freakishness. Perhaps even more impressive, since this guy is regularly tasked with covering the deep portions of the field and does so without losing a step. Dane Sanzenbacher, you and your helmet that seems to draw opposing safeties' helmets like a magnet need to watch. the fuck. out.

Interesting / Relevant Statistics and facts: ( numbers garnered from College Football Stats and the NCAA Statistics Website)

As good as USC has been under Pete Carroll, the rushing attack hasn't even sniffed a top-10 ranking since 2005 and the days of Reggie and Lendale. 2006 was a massive outlier; with the Trojans ranking a shocking 61st in rushing offense. The Trojans, of course, still won 11 games.

In comparison, the passing game has been suprisingly good. While the rushing game has finished in the top-25 just twice since 2004, USC's passing attack has been one of the 25 best four times since 2004.

USC has fielded a non-top-25 defense precisely once in the last five years: the 2005 unit that finally collapsed against Vince Young in the Rose Bowl. Outside of that year, they've finished in the top-5 three times, and for two straight years they've fielded the second-best unit in terms of total defense. In 2008, they ranked behind TCU, who plays in the Mountain West. In 2007, they were ranked behind the Buckeyes.

Okay, some good news:

The Trojans lose 10 of their top 11 tacklers, 20 of their 29 sacks, and eight of their top ten leaders in tackles for loss. On offense, they lose their second-best receiver, who, while very good, was never the focal point of the offense anyway. They return the entire starting offensive line. Aaron Corp, the new starter, has attempted only four passes in his time at USC, completing two.

Early Prediction: What will arguably be the best defense Pete Carroll will ever coach is gone to the NFL. In their place will be a bevy of talented new starters who will have to find a way to bottle up an improved Terrelle Pryor. I have a feeling that the Ohio State offensive line, while improved, will not be good enough to keep Terrelle Pryor's jersey clean from jarring hits by USC's talented edge rushers - which they, of course, have in stock. Look for Everson Griffen to make his presence felt early and often, double-teams or no. Ohio State will be able to move the ball on USC far better than it could last year, but USC's rushing attack will keep the game going at USC's pace, allowing Corp to stay comfortable behind an offensive line that didn't even let Gibson and Co. sniff Sanchez last year, who is also decidedly less mobile than young Aaron. Expect USC to put it out of reach late in the third quarter, placing Ohio State in yet another deficit it has no hope of passing its way out of. It won't be a blowout, but it won't earn Ohio State any national respect than what the brand name offers, as the Trojans drop a frustrating 31-19 loss on a talented Buckeye team that must go through growing pains to become great.

If we win:

If we lose:

USC brings the LA to town with them and it mixes rather well with our own post-game fesitivities:

Uhh... good times?

So, am I being overly-pessimistic? Overly-optimistic? Let me know what you think.