Oregon Ducks Football 2011: 8 Reasons Why They Will Beat USC Trojans

The Oregon Ducks and USC Trojans have seemingly flipped roles over the past few years. 

USC is struggling because of sanctions and will have depth problems in the near future. Oregon, on the other hand, has Phil Knight as a booster and appeared in the BCS National Championship game this past season.

As we approach the 2011 season, we get ready for another duel between the upstart Ducks and the sanctioned Trojans.

Here are eight reasons why the Ducks will beat the Trojans for the third consecutive season.

More at Stake for Oregon

The game takes place in late November. This is two weeks before the Pac-12 championship game for the right to play in the Rose Bowl. 

Stanford is going to be breathing down Oregon's neck all season with NFL-caliber quarterback Andrew Luck behind center, so this game will have a lot at stake.

Oregon's played in bigger games, like last year's national championship, and they know how to handle the pressure. They know if they lose this one, they most likely won't be able to compete in the Rose Bowl or the BCS National Championship game. So, they'll bring their A-game. 

Home Advantage

The crowd at Autzen Stadium will be a huge factor. Two years ago when the two schools played in Oregon, the Ducks smacked the favored Trojans in the forehead with a 47-20 victory. Even in 2007 with Dennis Dixon, the Ducks were able to outlast the Trojans at home.

Oregon has not been a kind state for USC, as they've struggled against Oregon State on the road in recent years too. Expect the Oregon faithful to be behind their Ducks and help create an uncomfortable environment for Matt Barkley and the Trojans. 

Cold Weather

According to the NOAA, on average, there are 17 precipitation days during November in Eugene. This means there's a pretty good chance it's going to be gloomy, cold and rainy when the Trojans go to Eugene. 

Matt Barkley is a California kid and he's never really played in a cold weather city during late autumn. He's played at Minnesota and Ohio State, but these games were in September during the summer. And the last time he played in Oregon, it was Halloween and he lost that game.

Cold weather might not be a great thing for the Trojans. The Ducks' players are more acclimated to it and will probably perform better in the cold November rain. 

Hurry-Up Offense

Oregon's hurry-up offense is what makes them so scary. Chip Kelly's offense is so effective that other teams don't really have time to respond to audibles and find themselves mixed up most of the time. There is no reason why anything should change this year. Oregon is an offensive powerhouse because of their offense. 

During last year's game at the Coliseum, USC's band would not be able to start their music, because Oregon would snap the ball so quickly. That's how good Oregon's offense is. They even flustered the band! 

LaMichael James

The explosive Heisman Trophy candidate is not going to stop anytime soon. Last season he rushed for 1,682 yards, and with Oregon's offense being so running back friendly, expect James to continue to dominate and run through USC's defense. 

USC's Defense (or Lack Thereof)

Last season, the Trojans defense, to put it in the words of Bart Scott, couldn't stop a nosebleed. Although they have made improvements, Oregon's offense is going to be too much for them. The hurry-up offense combined with LaMichael James will be a handful for a defense that has struggled mightily in the last several years. 

USC's Kicking Situation

Last season, USC lost two games late, because they missed crucial field goals. This year, they have Andre Heidari, who will be untested going into the season. The freshman kicker may not respond well to the cold weather and the clutch moments at the end of the game. An inexperienced kicker helps Oregon at the end of the game. 

It's USC

There are certain teams in sports which everyone hates. Because of this, players wake up for those games against those certain teams. 

USC is one of those teams, like the Lakers, Yankees and Cowboys, which everyone wants to beat.

Their success throughout the decades has made everyone resent them. The Trojans, despite the sanctions, are hated by every school in the Pac-12. Every school gets up for the game against the Trojans. It's circled on their calendar. Nobody's going to feel sorry for the Cardinal and Gold because of their sanctions. They're still an elite team and Oregon will be ready for this challenge.