Updates: FB20071020

Sure, playing against arguably the worst team in the nation may have had something to do with it, but the Trojans were able to right their ship after three sub-par weeks to play perhaps their best game of the season in a 38-0 victory over Notre Dame (1-6) in South Bend. Saturday’s win marks the […]

Friday’s big news–which came in between the Trojans’ morning practice and their afternoon walk-through at Notre Dame Stadium–was the announcement that Mark Sanchez would start at quarterback for the second straight week. What might be even better news for USC–and Desmond Reed–is that the grass at the stadium was in much better condition (and significantly […]

Pete Carroll announced Friday morning that Mark Sanchez will be the Trojans’ starting quarterback against Notre Dame on Saturday. John David Booty will be available to play if needed.

Pete Carroll refrained from naming a starting quarterback for the Notre Dame game, but Mark Sanchez looks like the guy, despite continued improvement from John David Booty. Some of the injured Trojan defenders are also showing improvement, but the offensive line is a different story. Speaking of which: wanna be a lineman? USC is now safely in Indiana, but only barely.

Although John David Booty (fractured finger) could have participated in Wednesday’s full practice session, he didn’t; coaches held him out of half of the session. The good news for Booty is that he did not experience any swelling in his second day since returning to action, and he once again proved that he could throw […]

What’s the status of USC’s many injured players, you ask? We have the latest details:

Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis announced today that junior Evan Sharpley would get his first start at quarterback on Saturday against USC, replacing freshman Jimmy Clausen. He will become the third quarterback to start for the struggling Irish this season, following Demetrius Jones (who started the first game and left school after he was replaced) […]

Pete Carroll told reporters that Mark Sanchez will enter Tuesday’s practice as the projected starter against Notre Dame on Saturday, even though the sophomore gave the coaching staff a scare late Monday when it seemed he injured his finger in practice. Scott Wolf reports that it was merely a false alarm and that Sanchez’s finger […]

It certainly is an off year for one of college sports’ greatest intersectional rivalries. Saturday’s 79th matchup between USC (5-1, 3-1) and Notre Dame (1-6) pits a Trojan team that is sinking in the polls against a woeful Fighting Irish squad having one of its worst seasons in recent memory. Both teams have been struggling […]