Go 2 Guy: Here's why WSU will stun USC

It's also possible that I spent too much time taking advantage of the 19-year-old drinking age in Idaho in the '70s and too much time with Koren Robinson now.

The former's the case, but the latter isn't -- they keep us in line at the P-I by threatening to make us watch Huskies games if we violate the newspaper's substance-abuse policy.

The same brain cells that predicted a 2-9 season for Washington are about to detail how Washington State can beat the No. 1 team in the country on Saturday.

I have come up with a list of the "Top Nine Reasons Why the Cougs Will Shock the Trojans" because I couldn't come up with 10. And the nine I have are flimsy at best, dubious at worst, but, dammit, they're my team and I want to be happy Saturday night!

9: Washington State will have a huge emotional edge. The Trojans won't be up for flying to Spokane, busing to Pullman, staying in Moscow and playing at Martin Stadium.

There can't be a single Trojan who circled Oct. 30 on the calendar and said to himself: "Geez, can't wait to go to the Palouse and play the Cougs!"

Contrast that to sky-high WSU wanting to knock off the defending co-national champions and get revenge for lousy officiating that cost the Cougs in last year's game at the Coliseum.

8: Never mind the spread. The Cougs are 24-point underdogs, but so was Mississippi State last week, and look what the Bulldogs did to Florida, not only upsetting the Gators but prompting the firing of their coach, Ron Zook.

It's not like there isn't precedent. In 1986, as 17-point underdogs, quarterback Ed Blount led WSU to a 34-14 victory over USC at Martin Stadium.

The Cougs have also defeated a No. 1 team before, beating Troy Aikman and UCLA 34-30 in 1988.

Timm Rosenbach quarterbacked the Cougs to victory that day and is now the quarterbacks coach. He'll share the wisdom from that experience with Alex Brink.

(Granted, the Cougs have been 24-point underdogs before and lost by 50, and Brink is a redshirt freshman whose inexperience could result in poor decisions and ghastly throws, but those possibilities are being conveniently overlooked to bolster the premise of this column.)

7: The forecast: 40 percent chance of rain and temperatures in the high 30's or low 40's. That's Cougs weather even if coach Bill Doba said: "We've got as many kids from Southern California as they do."

Nonetheless, I want it to be cold, crappy and wet because weather conditions could be the great equalizer, causing Trojan screw-ups.

According to colleague Howie Stalwick, who covers the Cougs, USC is 19-21-2 all-time during games in which it rained for most of the day.

6: Another Stalwick special -- USC is so-so on artificial surfaces, going 15-10-1 in their past 26 games on plastic grass.

5: Use of trick plays. I've never heard a coach say he plans to use trick plays, then actually try them in the games. But Doba admits the Cougs can't line up and compete in a game of smash-mouth with the Trojans.

This is terrific what-have-we-got-to-lose strategy, plus it figures to be entertaining as hell, even if it backfires. Fake punts, fake field goals, on-side kicks, fumblerooskis -- bring 'em on.

4: Keeping Reggie Bush in check. Cougs plan to double-team the game-breaking Trojan, shadowing him wherever he goes. They'd rather take their chances with quarterback Matt Leinart beating them than Bush.

3: Though USC's offensive line is big and talented, Stanford's DL not only stood its ground but generated a push at times during its near-upset Sept. 28.

Cougs believe their DL can do some of the same things and are hoping it happens more consistently than in previous games.

2: USC will make plays, but Cougs should realize, too, that the Trojans rank seventh in the Pac-10 in red-zone offense, scoring 73 percent of the time to 79 percent by fifth-ranked WSU. If the Cougs can get a stop, Trojans' kicker Ryan Killeen is no sure thing, going 7-for-12 on field goals.

1: Plain and simple, Will Derting.

P-I columnist Jim Moore can be reached at 206-448-8013 or jimmoore@seattlepi.com. His columns appear Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

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