• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

USC visits Virginia in season opener

Aug 30, 2008 - 10:13 AM No. 2 Southern California at Virginia, 3:30 pm EDT

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia (Ticker) -- Southern California can take a significant step toward a BCS championship with a win over Ohio State on September 13. But before they tangle with the Buckeyes, the Trojans will have to deal with Virginia.

The second-ranked Trojans hope to avoid looking ahead to their showdown with Ohio State when they visit the Cavaliers on Saturday in the season opener for both schools.

One of the deepest and most talented teams in the country, USC is the prohibitive favorite to win the Pac-10 Conference this year. The Trojans also are among a small group of legitimate front-runners to reach this season's BCS title game in Miami.

Southern Cal will face a difficult challenge in its second game, when third-ranked Ohio State visits the Los Angeles Coliseum.

But the Trojans, who rolled past Illinois to win last year's Rose Bowl, first must avoid an upset at the hands of Virginia, which posted nine victories last season and finished second in the Atlantic Coast Conference's Coastal Division.

Southern Cal returns 13 starters from a squad that went 11-2 en route to a first-place finish in the Pac-10 and a sixth consecutive BCS bowl appearance.

However, USC head coach Pete Carroll will have a new face under center in Mark Sanchez, who will serve as the Trojans' starting quarterback.

Sanchez appeared in six games - including two starts - last season, completing 60.5 percent of his passes for 695 yards and seven touchdowns. The junior suffered a dislocated kneecap in practice earlier this month but figures to be ready for the game against the Cavaliers.

Virginia had a chance to win the ACC Coastal last season but lost to Virginia Tech in its regular-season finale. The Cavaliers also squandered a 14-point lead en route to a stunning 31-28 loss to Texas Tech in the Gator Bowl.

The Cavaliers, who enter their eighth year under coach Al Groh, lost 11 starters - including All-American defensive end Chris Long - from last year's squad.