USC vs. Oregon: Penalties still a problem for Lane Kiffin, Trojans

Penalties have plagued the No. 17 USC Trojans all year, and head coach Lane Kiffin thinks the team's propensity to pick up personal fouls might be a result of misguided pride.

"It's not a street fight," Kiffin told ESPN Los Angeles. "It's a game. And there's rules within that."

The Trojans lead the FBS in penalties and are committing 20 percent more penalties than any team in the nation this season. Through eight games, USC has committed 82 penalties -- more than they amassed during the entire season last year. Eighteen of those penalties have been personal fouls, which is something wide receiver Robert Woods told ESPN LA that he thinks stems from the Trojans playing with too much emotion.

"I feel like this team has too much pride," Woods said Tuesday. "When you're making the penalties, you don't really know the situation, because emotions are up. Once we actually settle down and watch the film and see all the penalties that happen and see the situations, it's just dumb mistakes."

After USC's disappointing 39-36 loss to the Arizona Wildcats last Saturday, Kiffin sat his players down to watch video of some of the team's biggest and most costly penalties from this season in the hopes of illustrating how detrimental his team's penalty-riddled play has been to their success.

Kickoff for the Trojans showdown with the No. 4 Oregon Ducks is scheduled for 4 p.m. and the game will be televised on FOX.