USC fans say they’ll pull out a win
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Word on the street is this game’s gonna be close. And, yes, that’s coming from USC fans.
In a random poll of 10 Rose Bowl tailgaters dressed in crimson and gold, nine said today’s meet-up between USC and Penn State would be competitive but that the Trojans would pull out a win.
The one naysayer? High school teacher Roger Ipswitch, 63, who sported a USC sweatshirt but said the Nittany Lions would be triumphant.
‘I’m an SC fan, but I think Penn State’s gonna win,’ Ipswitch said. ‘That’s because I believed [L.A. Times writer Bill] Plaschke’s story of the SC team taking this game too lightly.’
Here’s what the the other nine had to say:
‘I think Penn State’s offense is a little bit better than other Big 10 offenses USC has played. They run the zone read better than any Big 10 team.’ -- Christopher Chantland, 24
‘It will be close because either of these teams could have been in the BCS national championship game. They’re just as deserving.” -- Jim Chantland, 53
‘It’s not your typical Big 10 team USC is going up against this year, and I think the quarterback is to be respected – I don’t know his name because I’m a Trojan fan.’ -- Doug May, 49
‘I say USC wins by 10 because they have a really good defense.’ -- Chester Ranger, 8
‘We have home team advantage, we’re used to playing in the Rose Bowl and we have better defense.’ -- Cindy Slater, 47
‘USC tends to play down to their opponent sometimes.They might be in for a big surprise.’ -- Paul Escobar, 24
‘It’s gonna be close for only the first half, and then I think [USC Coach Pete] Carroll’s gonna make adjustments. I think our speed will make the difference in the second half.’ -- George Mueller, 48
‘Penn State has a great defense, but they may not have the offense to come back. Although Penn State may want the game more.’ -- Rich Cheatham, 62
‘We were all taking bets, I said USC wins 21-17.’ -- Sue Stewart, 45
Gametime is at 2 p.m. on Channel 7.
-- Corina Knoll
