USC SCOUTING REPORT

* Time: 3:30 p.m.

* Site: Coliseum.

* TV: Fox Sports West 2.

* Radio: XTRA (690).

* The offenses: The Trojans’ season rests on Mike Van Raaphorst’s shoulders since quarterback Carson Palmer broke his collarbone against Oregon. Van Raaphorst is 6-4 as a starter but has passed for 200 yards in a game only twice. USC is also trying to get its running game going, but opponents have been putting eight men in the box to thwart the Trojans. Oregon State, employing new Coach Dennis Erickson’s one-back offense, has the nation’s leading rusher in Ken Simonton, who is averaging almost 186 yards a game. Quarterback Jonathan Smith, who played at Glendora High, leads the Pac-10 in total offense and is averaging 277 yards passing. “But let’s face it, Ken Simonton is the guy,” USC Coach Paul Hackett said. “He’s going to run the ball and you better be able to stop it. This is a potent offense.”

* The defenses: USC leads the Pac-10 in total defense and is also No. 1 against the run, giving up only 68 yards a game. But with Simonton, something has to give. Linebackers Markus Steele and Zeke Moreno are the 1-2 punch in a ball-hawking Trojan defense that has recovered eight fumbles and intercepted five passes, but the cornerbacks were a weak link last week with a passel of interference calls. Oregon State is led by linebacker Jonathan Jackson, the second-leading tackler in the Pac-10 last season. But pay close attention to this statistic: Georgia Southern, a strong Div. I-AA team, scored 41 points against the Beavers.

* Key to the game: Sure, Van Raaphorst needs to be effective, but the real key is for USC to stop committing so many penalties--the sort of thing that leads to upsets.

* Fast fact: Ed Orgeron, USC’s defensive line coach, was an assistant to Oregon State’s Erickson at Miami when the Hurricanes won the 1989 and 1991 national championships.

* Line: USC by 13 1/2.

HOW THEY COMPARE

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USC OREGON STATE 38.7 Scoring 40.7 20.3 Points Allowed 25.7 266.7 Passing Offense 295.3 135.3 Rushing Offense 203.7 402.0 Total Offense 499.0 214.3 Passing Defense 215.7 68.3 Rushing Defense 156.7 282.7 Total Defense 372.3

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