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| elvafeng |
Posted on 03-07-17, 09:13 am
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Karma: 100 Posts: 4/4 Since: 03-07-17 Last post: 2951 days Last view: 2951 days |
Perhaps no college football team finished the season stronger than USC. Sure http://www.alabamafanszone.com/amari-cooper-jersey-c-119.html, Clemson, but it was more about how the Trojans started that made the Rose Bowl run notable.
That 52 6 beating it took from Alabama on Labor Day weekend in Arlington was downright ugly. Things got worse with losses in two of the next three games. Everything turned from there with nine straight wins capped by a 52 49 classic over Penn State in the Rose Bowl. It begged the postseason question How much differently would that Alabama USC game have been if it was played in January rather than September. A few former Trojans answered that question this week at the NFL combine in Indianapolis. Oh yeah http://www.alabamafanszone.com/customize-jersey-c-117.html, it would have been a totally different story because our team we always knew we were going to be great at the end, former USC running back Justin Davis said. But it was a matter of when we bought into the system or whatever. We thought we were ready for the first game but we obviously weren t. The biggest difference between Week 1 and midseason was the emergence of quarterback Sam Darnold. He entered the Alabama late and completed 4 of 8 passes for 29 yards, but that was still Max Browne s team at that point. It was Darnold who led the renaissance that included a 26 13 win at No. 4 Washington on Nov. 12. That change was enough to give confidence to receiver Darreus Rogers about a mythical rematch with Alabama. With Sam Darnold, man http://www.alabamafanszone.com/blank-jersey-c-118.html, with him at quarterback, anything can happen, he said. The kid is special. I feel like it would be a better game, closer game and I feel like we probably could have made the upset but who knows? You never know what could happen but it probably would have been a different story. Offensive lineman Zach Banner wasn t quite as ready to talk about any rematches. It didn t happen, he said. So let s not talk about it. All three former USC players had complimentary things to say about the Alabama team that routed them in AT T Stadium. Rogers, who had a team high 45 receiving yards on two catches, called Alabama the best team I ve ever faced. Disciplined. Physical. Fast, he said. It has it all. Davis said the Trojans were still finding their identity with a new head coach in Clay Helton and a new starting quarterback in Browne. There weren t quite so many questions on Alabama s sideline Anthony Averett Jersey, he noted. The was a Tide team coming off a national title. That wasn t something that would give USC players pause. Intimidation wasn t a factor. Oh no, Davis said. Maybe for some young freshmen on our team because that s a big first game to play in but I know veterans knew they were just another team. They have good players like any other team does. We just had to deal with it. The Trojans came out strong that night in Texas. They led 3 0 after the first quarter when Alabama s offense stalled on the first few drives. Jalen Hurts then replaced Blake Barnett and everything changed. Alabama outscored USC 38 3 in the second and third quarters to blow things open. It included Hurts first touchdown pass, a 39 yarder to ArDarius Stewart. He added another, this time 71 yards to Stewart, when a cornerback and safety both blitzed to leave the receiver all alone. The little things piled up and things got ugly. In the end, it was USC s most lopsided loss since 1951. That s what makes you mad because the score is kind of misleading because for a moment there, we were playing with them, Rogers said. And the Tide just turned. Our guys just weren t in the game anymore and they just ran up the score on us. That just makes the intrigue of another shot more enticing for the running back who gained two yards on seven carries against Alabama. I d die to have a second chance, Davis said. |
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