John Walters

Knute Rockne was not tall and athletic-looking. He did not have a full mane of wavy gray-vy hair or a look that was straight out of the Macy's Father's Day sale catalog. Rockne, though, is alive and well and (cover your eyes, Domers) coaching at Southern California.

Now beginning his eighth season with the Trojans, Pete Carroll has transcended his job description (head coach, football) to become a rock star whose teams win at a similar clip as Rockne's and who, like "Kah-noot" himself, seems to have more fun than anyone else doing it.

Rockne was the original motivational alchemist in American team sports, and Carroll is no different. Rockne crafted stories of deathbed pleas and fully endorsed his backfield being photographed atop beasts of burden. Carroll takes a plunge from the high-dive platform and devises pranks in which his All-American running back (LenDale White) tosses himself off a building.

The shtick may entertain, but it is the success that draws the crowd. Rockne had a record of 105-12-5 in 13 seasons at Notre Dame, including five undefeated seasons. His win percentage of 88.1 remains the best in Division I-A history. He was 4-1 versus Southern California in a series he was largely responsible for creating.

Carroll is 76-14 over seven seasons, and, if you omit his 6-6 inaugural campaign at Troy, actually has a better career winning percentage (89.7) than Rockne. The former safety at the University of Pacific has led the Trojans to a pair of undefeated regular seasons, including a 38-game win streak, and he has won six straight over Rockne's alma mater ... which happens to be Southern California's longest win streak against the Irish since the series began in 1926.

History is being made each Saturday along the Trojan sideline — where Carroll can be seen hopping up and down along with his kickoff unit following each USC score — and the rest of the Pac-10 appears doomed to struggle in Carroll's riptide until his endless summer at USC comes to a close.

Five different Pac-10 schools (Cal, Oregon State, UCLA, Stanford and Oregon) have beaten USC in the past five seasons, but none more than once. And no one will in 2008, as Carroll has assembled his most devastating defense yet. The coach of the six-time Pac-10 champions accomplished this feat despite three Trojan defensive starters being selected in the first round of April's NFL draft.

Offensively, the Trojans are callow, but when your quarterback two-deep is helmed by two former Parade Magazine national prep Players of the Year (Mark Sanchez and Mitch Mustain), you find a way to manage. (Sanchez suffered a dislocated kneecap in practice on Aug. 8 and might miss the team's opener against Virginia on Aug. 30)

Behind Southern California stand Arizona State, Oregon and Cal, all poised to make noise. But only the Sun Devils have as talented a roster as they did in '07 and, truth be told, the second-best team in this conference in 2008 is likely USC's second-string.

Enjoy the sun-kissed skies, the colorful uniforms, the bronzed, blonde (blonzed?) beauties on the sidelines, and the wide-open offenses of the Pacific-10. Just understand that the USC film school will supply more drama this season than the Pac-10 race.

CONFERENCE GAME OF THE YEAR
Oct. 11: Arizona State at USC
The Trojans romped at then-No. 7 ASU last November, winning 44-24. In a relatively down year for the conference, the Sun Devils are seen as the most viable threat to USC hegemony. Quarterback Rudy Carpenter and running back Keegan Herring, both seniors, are the Pac-10's leading returning passer and rusher*, respectively. USC has won the last eight games against that team from Tempe, however.

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*That is, from the running back position. Washington QB Jake Locker ran for more yards (986 to 815) than Herring last season.

OTHER KEY CONFERENCE GAMES
Sept. 15: USC at Oregon State
Reser Stadium will be rocking for this Thursday night telecast. The Beavers ended the Trojans' 38-game regular-season win streak when they last met in Corvallis in 2006.

NON-CONFERENCE GAME OF THE YEAR
Sept. 13: Ohio State at USC, Sept. 13
This one will be legen — wait for it — dary, as these two schools that have played in the last four national championship games (but didn't face one another) at last meet. The Buckeyes and Trojans finished 1-2, respectively, in both scoring defense and total defense a year ago, and both units will be just as good in '08.

If any contest could rouse Keith Jackson out of retirement, this would be it.

No conference schedules more entertaining intersectional games than the Pac-10, whose members should be given extra credit come bowl season for doing so. Here are just 10 more intriguing non-conference games upcoming:

OTHER KEY NON-CONFERENCE GAMES
Aug. 30: Michigan State at California
The Spartans are much improved, and a great battle of tailbacks will ensue between the Spartans' Javon Ringer and the Golden Bears' Jahvid Best.

Sept. 1: Tennessee at UCLA
Rocky Top opens in the Golden State for the second consecutive season, while the Bruins start the Rick Neuheisel era.

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