USC Football 2011: Is Utah Game the Linchpin to a Successful Trojan Season?

At the risk of looking past the mighty Minnesota Gophers, whom the Trojans open the 2011 season with this Saturday, a burning question comes to mind.

Will the second game of the season mark a "do-or-die" moment for USC this season?

Now, it is well understood that when a team, such as the Trojans, is coming off a disappointing 8-5 campaign, assumptions, such as a presumed win over Minnesota, are risky things.

However, it is generally assumed that the Trojans will get past the Gophers with the only serious question being by how much will they spank their guests from the "North Star State?"

Which brings us to the second game of the season and the Utah Utes.

That game will mark the second home game of the season but the first where a respected team challenges this year's version of the men of Troy.

And not just any team, mind you.

No, the Utes have been, and continue to be, a well-regarded team.

Entering their first year in the new Pac-12, this will be Utah's first foray into league play and they will have a lot to prove.

Not the least of which is, do they belong?

Despite a long stretch of gridiron excellence, Kyle Whittingham's 2010 squad limped home with a 2-3 record, losing to Notre Dame, TCU and Boise State.

Now they enter the Pac-12 on a mission to answer some important questions.

Can the Utes play well week in and week out against the big boys from a major conference?

Certainly, Utah thinks they can, and they are determined to prove it in their Pac-12 debut against the mighty Trojans.

And if the Utes can pull it off, on the road against USC, they will be well positioned to make noise in the Pac-12 southern division.

So the motivation is there for Utah.

And then there is the intrigue of former USC offensive coordinator Norm Chow returning to the Coliseum in the same capacity for Utah.

You don't think Chow wouldn't love to beat his former team? Think again.

For the Trojans, the second game of the season will mark the first where they can gain some instant credibility for beating a quality opponent.

But it does so much more.

If the Trojans can send Chow and the Utes home with a loss, it will also establish momentum for the rest of the season.

And don't discount the reality of entering their first road game against a very well-regarded Arizona State team with a 3-0 record as opposed to a 2-1 as being very important (yes, I am chalking up a Trojan win at home against Syracuse).

For the Trojans, cast aside by the ill winds of fortune administered by the NCAA and their sanctions, the only satisfaction they can garner for the season will come from throwing a monkey wrench into the well-laid plans of the NCAA in general and the new Pac-12 in particular.

That means winning the southern division of their league is paramount.

Utah resides in that same southern division.

Further, in their division, the Utes and Arizona State are the two teams expected to represent the southern section in the inaugural championship game.

And if the Trojans can get by those two teams, they will be well positioned to win their division thus creating a delicious sort of angst for the NCAA to chew on while they ponder how legitimate a conference championship game is that doesn't feature the best two teams.

But it all starts with a win over Utah at home.

Get that and the Trojans are on their way to salvage a season that otherwise doesn't offer a lot of opportunities for satisfaction.

Lose and, well...you know...

So is the Utah game a "make-or-break" game for USC?

You decide.