College Football 9/5/09
San Jose State Spartans (WAC)-#4 Southern California Trojans (PAC 10)
By Mark • Saturday, September 5th, 2009 3:30 PM EST
Southern California (0-0) vs. San Jose State (0-0)
Line-Southern California -33.5
This is the third time these schools have met with the latest match up taking place in 2001. Southern California has won all three but we are going on nine years so there is no significance between those and the present as the only thing these programs have in common is they are both located in California.
If there was one thing that San Jose did well it would have to be passing the ball. With an offense that was ranked #112 in total yards and running game that was south of 90 yards per game being good at something can be a relative term. Perhaps a better description would be that the Spartans were a better passing than running team last year. Even that's a huge understatement but there's a reason SJSU finished 6th in the WAC and it certainly wasn't their defense that's accountable. The San Jose offense scored over 20 points just four times and three of those games were WAC competitors that finished below them in the standings. The Spartans defense performed well as they were the 20th ranked 'D' nationally in total defense but only #35 in scoring. That's what happens when your opponents have the ball on a short field. SJSU returns 15 starters with 8 offensive and 7 on the defensive side.
When looking at the numbers Southern California put up offensively, it's apparent there was nothing I could point to and say they needed to improve. USC seemingly ran, threw and scored at will with their lone setback coming at Oregon State 27-21, which turned out to be just one of two games in 2008 where the Trojans failed to score at least 28 points. USC was far from being one dimensional, as their defense was statically better than the offense. Ranked the #2 defense overall Southern Cal was tops in the country in the only number that really means anything; points, allowing a microscopic 9 per game. Put these two units together on the same sideline and the results are reflected in their 12-1 record. Anything near this and USC will once again be in the National Title hunt. Southern Cal comes into ‘09 missing 10 starters of which 8 are on defense and of course the most obvious being QB Mark Sanchez who will be throwing footballs for the Jets on Sundays.
Overall SC was not a good cover team going 7-6 ATS but was good at home posting a 5-2 ATS mark. SJSU was just 5-6 overall against the number while going 3-3 ATS on the road. The Trojans and titanic spreads are just the nature of the beast and USC had two spreads at home of 32 or more and covered both. I look for Southern Cal to put on a show at home to prove the #4 ranking is deserved and hope a useless TD doesn't bust the cover in garbage time.
Pick: Southern Cal -33.5
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