Wednesday’s Rose Bowl game is a biggie, to be sure, and the USC players certainly aren’t deluding themselves as to what’s at stake. But they have put themselves in a position to play their A-game because they’ve been conditioned to do that every week anyway. And if you haven’t noticed, their A-game ain’t bad.

“It’s going to pay great dividends. We’re not going to be overwhelmed,” guard Fred Matua said. “We’ve been in the spotlight steadily for the last four years.”

This is not to suggest that the Trojans understand what big games are all about while the Longhorns just fell en masse off the turnip truck. Texas is a terrific football team that also knows how to win under pressure; one only has to procure a tape of the Ohio State game to get that message. USC is just better at it, and has been at it longer.

It doesn’t matter how the game unfolds Wednesday. Vince Young could run 98 yards on the first play from scrimmage. Michael Huff could pick off Leinart. Bevo could gore Traveler.

At some point early on, when the game shakes out a little and the Trojans get a feel for what their opponents are doing, they’ll take control. Their offense will sizzle and their defense will assert itself. It won’t necessarily be a blowout, because the Longhorns have too much talent to let that happen. Plus, they have the memory of last year’s Orange Bowl and what happened to the Sooners to try to avoid. But it will be decisive.

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Carroll is remarkable when he has extra time to prepare. This time he’s had a month. After a month, Carroll and his charges will be ready to take over a small country.

“We know how to prepare for these games,” receiver Steve Smith said. “We get ourselves ready with fast-paced, up-tempo practices.”

On offense, the Trojans just have too many options. No matter how good of a defensive coordinator Gene Chizik may be, he will have to have magical powers — and be able to bestow them upon his charges — to beat USC. Leinart can pass to a superb corps of wide receivers. He can throw to his tight ends. He can throw to his running backs. Heck, he can throw to his fullbacks. And when the Trojans run, they do so with Reggie Bush and LenDale White, and behind an offensive line that is one of the finest ever.

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USC’s defense has taken some shots, most notably against Notre Dame and Fresno State. But now everyone is healthy, Carroll has broken down every frame of film available on Young and the Longhorns, and some young kids pressed into duty earlier this season now have valuable big-game experience for USC. The defense won’t stuff Young, but it will keep him from going berserk like he did last year against Michigan.

Call it attitude. Call it swagger. But really it is the confidence that comes with knowing how to get the job done. The Trojans just don’t get flustered. They’re convinced they’re going to win, and so far nobody has been able to argue otherwise.