ANN ARBOR, Michigan -- If USC's status as a Big Ten program is still taking some time to get used to, well, that reality arrives like a freight train Saturday as the No. 11-ranked Trojans (2-0) take on No. 18 Michigan (2-1) on the road in conference play.
What better way to toast the expanded Big Ten than to have the most high-profile new addition to the conference play one of its most storied programs.
The Trojans and Wolverines haven't clashed on the field since the 2007 Rose Bowl, when Pete Carroll's USC team won 32-18 over Lloyd Carr's previously-unbeaten Wolverines.
Now those blue-blood programs aren't only jockeying in the national rankings but also in the Big Ten race.
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USC is actually a 4-point betting favorite in this one thanks to its strong start, already with a marquee win over a ranked LSU team, while Michigan got blown out by Texas at home in its only notable matchup so far.
That snapped a 23-game winning streak in the Big House for the Wolverines, who will look to protect another streak Saturday as they've won their last 24 Big Ten games.
With the stage set, it's time for our weekly TrojanSports.com staff roundtable as we cover the key storylines of the game and give our predictions and perspective on the matchup.
1. What/who is something/someone we see more of offensively this week than we have through two games?
Tajwar Khandaker: "I'm really all in on this being Zachariah Branch's breakout game. His lack of involvement in the downfield passing game has been a mystery since last season, but I feel as though everything lines up in this matchup for him to be a focal point of the offense. I'm of the opinion that the Trojans won't find it particularly easy to run on Michigan's front, meaning that the pass game will have to bear most of the load on offense. Star cornerback Will Johnson will be matched up with either Ja'Kobi Lane or Duce Robinson on the outside all game, leaving Branch with more favorable matchups from the slot. I think USC will want to get the ball out of Miller Moss' hands quickly, especially early in the game, and Branch has already shown himself to be effective as an underneath RAC threat. Looking at the way that Texas was able to take advantage of its speedy perimeter players against the Michigan secondary, I think Branch should be primed to create big-play opportunities as a downfield receiver as well in this one. At long last, I think this is the week where we see Branch really put up a big-time statistical performance."
Ryan Young: "It's all of the sophomore receivers -- or at least several. For all the hype and expectations we've had for that quartet, it's been a bit of a quiet start. Dropped would-be touchdowns by Ja'Kobi Lane and Zachariah Branch contributed, as did the game flow against Utah State as USC emptied the bench. But I think at least three of Branch, Lane, Duce Robinson and Makai Lemon assert themselves in a different way this week. Through two games, Branch leads that group with 8 catches for 75 yards, while Robinson only has 2 receptions and Lane has the lone touchdown. Look for those stats to look much different across the group after Saturday.
Jeff McCulloch: "I think we see more of Quinten Joyner in this game. I know he was used a bit against Utah State, but that doesn’t count as everyone pretty much played. Joyner only had 13 snaps in the game against LSU compared to Woody Marks' 51 snaps. While Marks has been stellar so far this season, Joyner showed something against Utah State where he deserves to get more carries. He has the extra burst that most running backs don’t have. His problem is his troubles with pass blocking. Through two games, he is the worst pass blocker on the team and that’s going to limit how many snaps you get, but I expect the snap counts to be closer to 65-35 Marks."
Ryan: "You know I'm a fan of getting Joyner more involved!"
2. What's your belief level (1-10) in D'Anton Lynn's defense through a limited but mighty impressive sample size?
Ryan: "Honestly, it's a 10. That doesn't mean I expect shutouts every week, or even that the defense won't have an off day at some point. But if you're asking my confidence in D'Anton Lynn to get the most of this group more often than not, to have a good plan each week and to be able to communicate that effectively to the players, then it's definitely a 10. How much bad defense have we watched here going back three defensive coordinators to Clancy Pendergast? I had actually forgotten that it's reasonable to expect three-and-outs every now and then without it being a fluke. The way the players talk about Lynn, the way the returning players note how much better the defense communicates and trusts in each other (and the coaching staff), the way it looks -- yeah, full believer."
Jeff: "My belief in this D’Anton Lynn defense is at a 7, only because they only played Utah State and an LSU team that is looking to be very average. However, I am in awe of what Lynn can do to any defense he inherits. The pieces have always been there on the defense, they just needed someone to use them correctly. They need to play a good offense for me to really buy in, but without a doubt this team is tackling much better than last year. I need to see the corners really be challenged by a pass-heavy offense to really see how good they are (which won't happen this week). The defensive line and linebacker rooms are filled with quality depth so I am confident they can stop any run game; it’s the secondary that can *potentially* be an issue.
Tajwar: "I'll go with an 8! What we've seen of the way this defense has been coached through two games leaves little room for criticism. The fundamentals are vastly improved from what we saw the past two years across the board, and this team seems to have a good grasp of what's being asked of it at all times. We've seen minimal busts, miscommunications and unforced errors through two games, and everyone seems to be playing hard at all times. The players themselves seem to feel strongly that Lynn and the rest of the staff have allowed them to play closer to their best, and that confidence has manifested pretty routinely on the field. With all that said, the Trojans are still probably behind the best defenses in the country in terms of pure talent and depth. As the season wears on, Lynn's unit will inevitably find itself pushed, and we've yet to see how it will respond at that juncture. From what we've seen so far, though, I would trust this defense to handle business respectably against all but maybe four teams in the country -- hence the 8."
