Predicting 2012 Matchup Against USC Quarter-by-Quarter

In an article posted earlier this week, I gave an early preview of USC vs. Oregon 2012. 

Hyped up to potentially be a "Game of the Century Part II", this matchup will feature some of the greatest talent in college football all bundled up within one of the better atmospheres in the Los Angeles Coliseum. 

The USC Trojans will finally be back in business after two years of being shunned from the college football postseason due to NCAA sanctions levied against them. Star players such as Matt Barkley, Marqise Lee, and T.J. McDonald give the Trojans the power it needs on both sides of the ball to make a legitimate run at the Pac-12 Title and BCS National Championship. Rated by many as number two in preseason polls, the Trojans will face more than enough tests on their path back to national glory. 

Arguably the toughest opponent USC will face is the University of Oregon Ducks.

Coming off their first Rose Bowl victory in 95 years, the Ducks will be looking to win their fourth straight Pac-10/12 title, setting a new precedent for great teams on the West coast. Despite the departure of the likes of LaMichael James and Darron Thomas to the NFL, Oregon has a reloaded roster that should be able to produce at least the same amount of production as their 2011 counterpart. Helping to aid this quest will be players such as DeAnthony Thomas, Kenjon Barner, Michael Clay, and John Boyett. Strong on both sides of the ball, like the Trojans, the Ducks will be contending for both a Pac-12 Title and BCS National Championship.

If it is not apparent, the Oregon vs. USC matchup on November 3rd is already turning out to be one of the more highly anticipated college football games of the 2012 season. 

After giving a brief preview of the game that concluded with an unspecified Oregon victory, let us delve deeper into this epic matchup with a quarter-by-quarter prediction. 

First Quarter: USC 10, Oregon 7

USC 10, Oregon 7

Expect the first quarter of this much anticipated matchup to deliver right from the get-go. 

As the home team, the Trojans will be able to take advantage of the raucous atmosphere early on en route to scoring the game's first touchdown. Though they will rely on Matt Barkley throughout the game to dissect the Oregon secondary, the first points of this game will come on the ground from talented rusher Curtis McNeal. 

Looking to establish himself as a top contender for the Doak Walker Award and Heisman, expect McNeal to garner plenty of carries on his way to the game's first touchdown as Lane Kiffin and the Trojans will test the waters before really attacking the Ducks. 

Still relying mostly on the legs of McNeal, the Trojans will put up three more points as the Oregon defense provides just enough ferocity to stop the Trojans from finding their way into the end zone once again. 

Being Oregon's first true road test of the season, expect the Ducks to come out of the gates a little antsy and anxious. Though there are returning starters on both sides of the ball, the atmosphere of the Los Angeles Coliseum will lead the Ducks to make silly mistakes early on in this game. These mistakes should not cost the Ducks too much as they should be able to compose themselves before the end of the first and put a touchdown on the board. 

Expect Oregon's points to come not through the ground but through the air. Though the Ducks will utilize their speed on the ground, their retooled and explosively young receiving corps will ultimately put the ball in the end zone for Oregon. 

Second Quarter: USC 23, Oregon 21

USC 23, Oregon 21

The Oregon Ducks will begin to showcase their brilliant offense and talented speedsters in the second quarter. After building the confidence necessary to win on the road during the first quarter and adjusting to the noise of the Coliseum, expect to see a flurry of big plays from the Ducks en route to two touchdowns. 

Key to the Oregon attack in the second quarter will be DeAnthony Thomas. Spurning the Trojans for the Ducks at the last minute of his recruitment, Thomas will have extra motivation to perform in front of a crowd that will be out for him. Thomas will use this motivation to produce one touchdown while contributing significantly on the other drive that will see yet another Oregon touchdown manufactured through the air. 

Not allowing Oregon to establish true dominance in this game yet, the Trojans will put up points of their own to get a halftime lead. While USC relied upon the legs of Curtis McNeal in the first quarter, the second quarter will be all about Matt Barkley asserting his dominance on the football field. 

After charging down the field, Barkley will find Marqise Lee who will then use his speed and maneuverability to burst through the Oregon defense for a second quarter touchdown. While USC will have multiple chances to put seven points on the board throughout the quarter, a stout Oregon defense will limit the Trojan penetration into the end zone, resulting in two more field goals.

Third Quarter: Oregon 35, USC 23

Oregon 35, USC 23

Over the past few years Oregon has been one of the best second-half teams in college football. The Ducks are nearly unstoppable after coming out from the locker room to start the second. 

Expect this trend to continue against USC as they put up two more touchdowns in this quarter. After scoring a touchdown and putting up significant numbers in the second quarter, DeAnthony Thomas will receive the most attention from a Trojan defense that will be looking to halt Oregon momentum before it can even begin. 

This will be the time for the Kenjon Barner attack.

Overshadowed by friend and San Francisco 49er LaMichael James, Barner will make a name for himself in 2012. With most of the attention on DeAnthony Thomas, Chip Kelly will use this opportunity to use the speed of Barner to burn the Trojans for two touchdowns. Operating at their machine-like pace, the Ducks will start to see a tired USC defense and begin pounding away at the middle with Barner. Though his touchdowns will not be the most glamorous, they will still put valuable points on the board as the Ducks will jump in front and take a 12-point lead into the fourth quarter.

Unfortunately for USC, the Oregon defense will be more than prepared coming out for the second half of the game. After seeing exactly what the Trojans have to offer, the Duck defense will be able to engineer a game plan based on actual game tendencies and statistics rather than projections about what will happen in the game. Using the impressive talent that is there, Oregon will hold USC to zero points this quarter, leading many Trojan fans' hearts to start pounding faster and faster. 

Fourth Quarter: Oregon 45, USC 30

Oregon 45, USC 30

Trying to find a way back into the game, Matt Barkley will lead the Trojans on an impressive drive that will result in yet another touchdown through the air with plenty of time left to play. 

Unfortunately for the Trojans, Oregon will break out the duo of Barner and Thomas to put this game out of reach. The speed of these two stellar athletes will slash a tired Trojan defense en route to another touchdown on the ground. Expect to see Oregon add an insurance field goal later on in the quarter as the Duck defense clamps down on the Trojan air attack. 

While Barkley will collect plenty of admirable stats throughout the night, the need for an air attack by the Trojans in the fourth quarter will result in some mistakes that will ultimately lead to the demise of USC.

At the end of it all, Oregon will find themselves on top of the Trojans 45-30. 

Despite walking into halftime with a lead, the Trojans will not be able to keep up with the stellar attack and play of the Oregon Ducks in the second half of the game. 

One can only hope that we witness a repeat of this game in the Pac-12 Championship.