The defending back-to-back national champion 2005 USC football team, ranked No. 1 in both major polls, opens the season this Saturday, Sept. 3, against the Hawaii Warriors at 4 p.m. (PDT) at Honolulu's Aloha Stadium and in front of a national ESPN2 television audience. The game is expected to sell out the 50,000-seat stadium. It is the sixth meeting between the two schools, with USC holding an unblemished 5-0 mark vs. UH. The Trojans defeated Hawaii, 61-32, at the Coliseum in 2003, and demolished the Warriors, 62-7, in their last trip to the islands in 1999. The Trojans are 25-1 against WAC opponents. Troy is 9-0-1 in season openers following a national title season, while Hawaii will be facing a No. 1-ranked opponent for only the second time in its football history (Nebraska, 1971).

Trojan Coach Pete Carroll enters his fifth season at USC (42-9) having led the Trojans on a 22-game winning streak that: sealed a third-consecutive Pac-10 championship; included a second Orange Bowl win in three seasons (55-19 over Oklahoma in the BCS championship game); and notched the school's 11th national championship. Meanwhile, Hawaii headman June Jones (48-30) begins his seventh season at the helm of the UH program. The Warriors finished with a flourish in 2004, winning five of their last six games – including a 59-40 victory over Alabama-Birmingham in the Hawaii Bowl. Hawaii has won 15 of its previous 17 home games. USC will be looking to extend its winning streak in season openers to eight (1998 vs. Purdue; 1999 at Hawaii; 2000 vs. Penn State at East Rutherford, N.J.; 2001 vs. San Jose State; 2002 vs. Auburn; 2003 at Auburn; and 2004 vs. Virginia Tech at Landover, Md.). Overall, the Trojans are 81-23-8 in season openers and 24-7-1 in season openers on the road.

Whereas the Trojans faced an immediate test in 2004, traveling 3,000 miles across the country to face a team that ended up as the ACC champion and played in the Sugar Bowl, the 2005 Trojans are 34-point favorites as they board a plane Thursday for Oahu. Few people think Hawaii will test USC, especially considering the huge losses the Warrior program suffered in the off-season. With only nine returning starters, the major losses include four-year starting quarterback and all-time NCAA passing yardage leader Timmy Chang, both leading rushers from a year ago, all four starting receivers, and six defensive players, including all-WAC corner Abraham Elimimian. Many believe 2005 will be a rebuilding year for Jones and Co. The wildcard to the match-up is new UH defensive coordinator (and former NFL head coach) Jerry Glanville, who is well known for a blitzing, attacking style that could surprise the Trojans early.

How can Jones hope to replace what Chang brought to his run-and-shoot offense the past four seasons? If statistics are all that matters, the answer is that the Hawaii QB position is plug-and-play. After all, the Warriors have ranked first in the WAC in passing offense the past six years and never lower than fourth nationally – with or without Chang – under Jones' tutelage. What UH will really miss, especially early in the year, is Chang's experience and leadership. Saddleback College transfer Colt Brennan (6'3", 205) and redshirt freshman Tyler Graunke (5'11", 180) appear to be an odd couple in line for the first shot at replacing Chang. Six-foot-five senior Jeffrey Rhode is behind them, and is the only one of the three to have thrown a pass in a D-IA football game.

The experience isn't much better at the single running back spot, as two players who combined for nearly 85 percent of the team's rushing yards and 13 of its 17 rushing TDs are gone. Senior Bryan Maneafaiga and junior Kala Latuselu will share the load here, with Maneafaiga being the "speed" back and Latuselu more of a thumper. Expect them to split about 20 total carries evenly, as the Warriors will throw, throw and throw again.

The lost starters keep on coming when we move to UH's four wideout spots. The run-and-shoot uses two wide receivers and two slot receivers on pretty much every formation. The biggest shoes to fill here come from Jacksonville Jaguar draft choice Chad Owens, who caught 17 TD passes in 2004. The Warriors also lost their second leading receiver in 2004, Jason Rivers, to academic problems. The two-deep for the 2005 season lists only one player at six feet tall. This is a small, speedy group. Junior Ross Dickerson is now the team's leading returning pass catcher, with a total of 143 yards receiving in 2004. He'll start at one outside spot and be joined by Ian Sample on the other side. Fairfax High product Jason Ferguson, a slight 5'5" sophomore will be at one slot, while bruising 5'9", 240-pound Nate Ilaoa is the other slot receiver – and likely UH's most imposing offensive threat. With this many passes flying all over the field, expect the second unit, comprised of freshmen Michael Washington, Davone Bess, Ryan Grice-Mullen and Dylan Linkner to also see time.

Finally, along the front five, there is some good news on the experience front for Hawaii. Jones' only four returning offensive starters comprise 80 percent of the group protecting the quarterback. Junior guard Samson Satele, a freshman All-American in 2003, is the leader. He's joined on the left side by tackle Tala Esera, an all-WAC honorable mention pick last season. Seniors Derek Faavi (center) and Brandon Eaton (RG) also return, with Eaton switching from tackle to guard as junior Dane Uperesa (son of former USC assistant Keith) moves into the lineup. This group should provide a nice opening challenge to the Trojans' reconstituted front four.

Defensively, the Warriors return five starters – woo hoo, that's one more than the offense. But the big news is the addition of the quirky Glanville as defensive coordinator. Known for his attacking, blitzing style as the former head coach of the NFL's Houston Oilers and Atlanta Falcons (this is a man who once called an 11-man blitz in an NFL game), Glanville has done the seemingly impossible – Hawaii fans are actually talking about their defense. Of course, the defense is still mostly manned by players who were responsible for allowing nearly 40 points and 500 yards per game to opponents (in addition to the five starters, 12 others who have played extensively return).

Up front, senior all-WAC honorable mention end Melila Purcell shifts inside to a tackle spot. Purcell led the Warriors in sacks (6) and tackles for loss (15.5) a year ago. He's joined up front by three new starters – junior Ikaika Alama-Francis (only listed at 215 pounds) and senior Kila Kamakawiwo'ole at the ends and junior Renolds Fruean at tackle. The depth chart lists two other undersized ends, C.J. Allen-Jones and Jake Ingram, as the back-ups, while sophomore Karl Noa and freshman Fale Laeli fill in at tackle. Allen-Jones, who is also on the LB depth chart, may not be available Saturday because of an ankle sprain.

The UH linebacker group features a pair of returnees in weaksider Tanuvasa Moe and middle man Ikaika Curnan, both seniors. Curnan was the team's leading tackler in 2003 before struggling with injuries much of last season. Sophomore Brad Kalilimoku saw the field often as a true freshman and is a nice complement to the unit. Allen-Jones could be a player here as the season unfolds, but is unlikely to play Saturday. Freshmen Tyson Kafentzis and Solomon Elimimian back up on the outside, while freshman Timo Paepule is the second-string MLB.

In the secondary, Hawaii has a ton of experience at the safety spots, but is very green outside, especially with its best corner, Kenny Patton, doubtful for Saturday after knee surgery midway through camp. Patton's injury combined with the graduation of all-WAC corner Elimimian spells big trouble this weekend and puts added pressure on senior free safety Leonard Peters – the team's leading tackler in 2004 – and senior strong safety Lono Manners (is he an illegitimate child of Hunter S. Thompson?). The only corner with starting experience from 2004, Turmarian Moreland, was beaten out at one corner spot by sophomore Keao Monteilh. Sophomore Ryan Keomaka and senior Omega Hogan will see action on the other side. Seniors Lamar Broadway and Landon Kafentzis are the second-team safeties.

The Warriors are also replacing their top punt returner – the amazing Owens, who had five punt return TDs and averaged about 15 yards per return – and placekicker – Justin Ayat, who had a long successful career in Honolulu. It looks like the 5'5" Ferguson will get the first shot at replacing Owens, with Bess perhaps seeing the field as well. Ferguson and Dickerson held down the kickoff return duties in 2004, but freshman Washington appears ready for prime time there, with Maneafaiga also seeing time. The loss of Ayat was compounded when expected replacement Nolan Miranda left the team, citing personal reasons, this summer. Freshmen Dan Kelly and Jeremy Shibata battled for the job in camp, and it looks like Kelly might get the first shot. Two-year starting punter Kurt Milne averaged 39.9 yards per boot in 2004, but has struggled at times.

So what should fans expect out of USC in its first effort of the new season? Offensively, new leaders Lane Kiffin and Steve Sarkisian present a bit of a change, though USC is running the same basic offense directed so successfully by Norm Chow the past four seasons. With Glanville an even bigger question mark in this game – no one quite knows what to expect from the Warrior defense this Saturday – I expect there will be some early feeling out by the Trojans, as they see just how many risks the gambling Glanville wants to take, before they really let loose with their vast array of weapons. Once they do, I expect an even more aggressive play-calling mindset under Sarkisian and Kiffin than under Chow.

Look for senior offensive co-captain Matt Leinart – the defending Heisman Trophy winner – to attack the Warriors' questionable cornerbacks. USC's offensive line – which features Sam Baker and Winston Justice at tackles, Taitusi Lutui and Fred Matua at guards and Ryan Kalil at center – has a distinct size and experience advantage over their UH D-line counterparts. As in 2004, the line has been especially impressive with the rushing game in camp, and LenDale White, co-captain Reggie Bush and Desmond Reed could benefit if the Warriors try nickel or dime sets in an effort to slow the Trojan passing attack.

I'm not quite sure, though, that UH can slow Leinart with any defensive formation, given the inexperience of their cornerbacks. With seniors Greig Carlson and William Buchanon, juniors Steve Smith and Chris McFoy, sophomore Dwayne Jarrett and freshman Patrick Turner all in the mix (Smith and Jarrett as starters), USC's array of pass catchers outside is stunning. Add to it star Dominique Byrd at tight end, as well as improving back-up Fred Davis, and Leinart's weapons are a bounty – and we haven't even talked about the playmaking passing-game abilities of running backs Bush, David Kirtman and Brandon Hancock.

Defense is the location of most of the Trojans' question marks as the 2005 season kicks off. Replacing six starters, including four All-Americans, is never easy. However, 2005 is the year Trojan fans should expect Carroll's incredible recruiting haul of the past three years to really pay off. USC's attacking style of defense should not change. As a matter of fact, with inexperience on the inside of the line, I even expect Carroll to use the athleticism in the back seven to try to create even more pressure. This game, however, is like no other test on the Trojan schedule. Hawaii has almost no interest in running the ball efficiently and merely wants to spread the defense to throw 40-50 times per game. Expect a lot of five- and six-DB sets from USC in this one.

Up front, new tackles Sedrick Ellis and LaJuan Ramsey face their first test as starters, while DEs Frostee Rucker and Lawrence Jackson, who have looked spectacular in camp, should get after the Hawaii QB. This group faces the toughest test of any unit for the Trojans this Saturday, going up against a strong and experienced Warrior offensive line. How much pressure they can get on the quarterback and how effectively they can slow UH's minimal rushing game will decide whether this is a USC blowout or a real shootout. I expect USC to blitz more in 2005 than in recent years, and the new starter at WLB, Keith Rivers, should have a big role in that. Oscar Lua's first test at middle linebacker – the quarterback of the defense – should be interesting. Defensive co-captain Dallas Sartz has overcome a hip pointer in camp, and looks ready – though with Hawaii's offensive style, he may not see the field much as USC goes to nickel and dime sets.

After the defensive line, the Trojan secondary faces the second toughest test. However, the best athlete on the field in the receiver/secondary match-up when Hawaii has the ball is junior strong safety (and co-captain) Darnell Bing. Bing came into his own as the 2004 season moved along, and great things are expected from him in 2005. Senior free safety Scott Ware has shown off a big-hitting style in camp, and don't be surprised if he lays out a receiver or two. Cornerbacks Justin Wyatt and Terrell Thomas will start, but nickelback John Walker should be on the field early and often.

Among the Trojan reserves, most expect to see DEs Chris Barrett (SO) and Kyle Moore (FR), DTs Travis Tofi (JR) and Fili Moala (RS-FR), LBs Collin Ashton (SR), Brian Cushing (FR), Thomas Williams (SO), Rey Maualuga (FR), and CB Kevin Thomas (FR) and safeties Kevin Ellison (FR) and Josh Pinkard (SO).

This game, like most openers, will likely feature some mistakes on both sides. However, USC has a huge edge in talent on both sides of the ball, especially on offense. While the Trojans may start slowly as they gain their bearings under new coaching direction and against whatever Glanville decides to throw at them, USC's offense has far too many options for a team as limited in size, speed and talent as Hawaii. Once Glanville's scheme becomes clear, Leinart should be able to pick apart the Hawaii defense – maybe even as early as the second quarter.

When USC's defense is on the field, the game gets more interesting. Can the Trojans' new defensive front do the job against the Warriors' quick hitting passing attack? How will USC's newer corners respond to the pressure of facing the run-and-shoot? Will Carroll blitz more often with Shaun Cody and Mike Patterson gone from the defensive front? Another question in this game is the USC kicking game – how will new placekicker Mario Danelo and kickoff specialist Troy Van Blarcom handle their first efforts in the spotlight?

I expect Saturday's match-up will provide some positive answers, while also creating new questions for many Trojan followers. The Trojans simply have too much for UH to handle, but the Sept. 17 game at the Coliseum vs. Arkansas will provide a much clearer test of the Trojans' capabilities. USC 52, Hawaii 17.