USC Football: What, If Anything, Will the Minnesota Game Mean for the Trojans?

As the Trojans migrate across the country to meet the Minnesota Gophers this Saturday, it leaves Los Angeles with an abundance of questions.

Following USC's sloppy win at home against lowly regarded Virginia, the Trojan offense, considered a bright spot following their win at Hawaii, now is a major concern after struggling against an undersized Cavalier defense.

Matt Barkley, USC's ultra talented quarterback, looked shaky in the second half against Virginia, routinely missing open receivers while leading an ineffective offense that spent more time sputtering than an old jalopy.

In Barkley's defense though, it's hard to develop an effective passing game when your opponent doesn't fear the run.

Operating against an undersized Virginia defensive line, Trojan running backs found themselves bottled up time and again by the Cavaliers, who turned the Trojans into a one dimensional attack.

Only Dillon Baxter, the heralded true freshman for the Trojans, found any running room and even he had to work for it.

Meanwhile, as if to accentuate their total confusion in implementing the gameplan, the Trojans found themselves ducking a storm of raining yellow hankies.

Accumulating 140 yards in penalties for the game, USC could point to all units for their fundamental breakdowns.

This only offers a thumbnail sketch of the problems the Trojans will try to fix beginning this Saturday afternoon against the Gophers.

Still, even if the Trojans do manage to cure the ills just described against Minnesota, what will this really tell us about USC?

The Gophers, after their rousing 24-17 road win at Middle Tennessee, followed that up with a loss to FBS South Dakota at home last week.

Sadly for Gopher fans, Minnesota appears to be on track to match their mediocrity of recent years.

Following season records of 1-11, 7-6, and 6-7, Minnesota appears to be taking a step backward for head coach Tim Brewster.

Defensively, the Gophers gave up almost 500 yards to South Dakota and appear to be especially vulnerable in the defensive secondary where they surrendered 352 yards to South Dakota's Dante Warren.

All of which should make Trojan quarterback Matt Barkley very happy as he tries to find the magic he exhibited against Hawaii and then inexplicably lost in the second half against Virginia.

But even if Barkley has a field day against the Gophers, it won't reveal much for the Trojans progress in this department.

USC has superior athletes and should dominate the hapless Gophers through the air.

There is one area that USC can use this game for as a springboard to future success.

Eliminating penalties, which USC ranks close to the bottom of the country statistics-wise, will continue to be a focus of the Trojan coaching staff.

However, this was an area of concern for USC after the Hawaii game as well and promises of improvement against Virginia went unfulfilled.

Make no mistake about it, this game against Minnesota, in which the Trojans are heavily favored, will not answer many questions about improvements in USC's overall game.

Having said that, there is one question that could be answered about the Trojans and it is one that no good fan of the men of Troy would ever want to even consider.

What if the Trojans lose?

The notion of a loss at Minnesota would answer one very significant question for the Trojans faithful in 2010.

How good are the Trojans this year?

A loss this Saturday would offer a resounding answer.

Not very good at all.

And that is one answer no fan of the Trojans would ever want to ponder.