Week One: Hawaii versus USC

Hawaii at USC: This is a matchup between Hawaii newly of the Mountain West Conference and Southern California of the Pacific 12. Hawaii struggled in 2011 with a 6-7 final record including losing 4 of 5 games to end the season and missing out on a bowl berth. Southern California had a successful season in 2011 going 10-2 but unable to play in the post season due to NCAA sanctions. Southern California is the preseason #1 ranked team in the AP poll.

Offense: The USC Trojans were the 21st ranked offense in the nation last fall after averaging 456 yards per game on the season. The Trojans were 51st nationally rushing the ball with 162 yards on the ground and a 5.0 yards per carry average. The Trojans were only able to find the end zone on the ground 12 times on the season. The Trojan passing game was one of the nation's best last season putting up 294 yards per game in the air to go with 39 touchdown passes. USC only had 7 passes intercepted on the season. USC ended the season as the 16th ranked team in the country in scoring offense at 35.8 points scored per game. The Hawaii Warriors were below their usual numbers in 2011 with 404 yards per game of total offense. The Warriors had a solid 4.1 yards per carry on the season but strayed from the run only averaging 95 yards per game on the ground. Hawaii found the end zone 22 times on the season running the football. The Hawaii passing attack put up 308 yards per game in the air and another 29 touchdowns and were only picked off 10 times on the season. Hawaii scored 31.5 points per game on the season good for 36th nationally. EDGE: USC

Defense: The Trojans were below their normal standards in 2011 as the 54th ranked defense in the country giving up 374 yards per game to opponents. USC was solid at stopping the run giving up only 111 yards per game on a 3.6 yards per carry average and 17 touchdowns allowed on the ground. The pass defense was soft in giving up 263 yards on the season to opponents but only 17 passing touchdowns and 9 interceptions. The Trojans forced 17 turnovers on the season. USC ended the season ranked 45th nationally with 23.6 points allowed per game. The Hawaii Warriors were right in the middle of the pack nationally on defense giving up 387 yards per game last fall. The Warriors gave up 142 yards per game on the ground with a 3.9 yards per carry average and gave up a disappointing 19 touchdowns on the ground in 2011. The pass defense gave up 244 yards in the air per game last fall to go with 28 touchdowns but were able to intercept 14 passes and force 24 turnovers on the season. Hawaii finished the season ranked 80th with 29.1 points allowed per game. EDGE: USC

Coaching: Lane Kiffin is the head coach of the USC Trojans and is entering his 3rd year as the head coach of the program. Kiffin started coaching in 1997 for Fresno State before moving to Colorado State, the Jacksonville Jaguars, USC, the Oakland Raiders, Tennessee, and finally USC. USC is the third head coaching job for Kiffin with stops at Oakland (5-15) and Tennessee (7-6). In Kiffin's two previous years at USC, the Trojans have gone 18-7. Norm Chow is the head coach of the Hawaii Warriors and is entering his first year as the head coach of the program. Chow started coaching in 1973 as a graduate assistant for BYU before moving to North Carolina State in 2000, the Tennessee Titans, UCLA, Utah, and finally Hawaii. This is Chow's first year as a head coach but his 40th year coaching on the college or professional level. EDGE: Push

USC and Hawaii have played 7 times in school history with UCS holding a 7-0 overall series record among the teams. The teams played twice in the 1930s, then in the 1970s, then in the 1990s and finally 3 times since 2000. USC won the most recent meeting in 2010 by the score of 49-36.

The #1 ranked USC Trojans are just too much for a Hawaii team that is rebuilding after a couple of below par seasons for the Warriors. The strength of Hawaii faces a USC secondary that gave up yards but were tough to score on. The only way for Hawaii to stay in this game is to get an early lead and make USC play catch up all game long. That strategy will be hard to implement and the most likely scenario is for USC to pull away in the second quarter and build a nice halftime lead before blowing out Hawaii in the second half.