Can USCs defense stop the bleeding?
Yes, USC still has the No. 2 defense in the Pac-10, allowing just 291.7 yards per game. But the unit has struggled the past two weeks in yielding a combined 63 points in victories over Notre Dame and Oregon State. The Fighting Irish totaled 367 yards, while the Beavers racked up 482. There still is a lot to like about USC’s defense. The unit has 29 sacks in seven games, which matches the total for all of last season. But a youthful line has been vulnerable of late. The Oregon Ducks will challenge that front with a ground game that ranks No. 2 in the Pac-10 (210.7 ypg). USC still has national title hopes. But a loss here would kill that dream, as well as severely damaging the Trojans’ Pac-10 title hopes. – TOM DIENHART Offenses in the SEC. Florida’s offensive issues have been well-documented. The Gators meet Georgia, which has been playing pitiful defense. But the Gators have gone against some other pitiful defenses and have still not been able to explode. Will it be different Saturday
