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The No. 1 ranked USC Trojans open their season at home on Sept. 1, hosting the Hawaii Warriors. The Trojan offense will be headed by Quarterback Matt Barkley, who passed up the 2012 NFL Draft to play his senior year at USC. Barkley finished sixth in the Heisman voting in 2011, posting a 39-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio and a 69.1% completion rate in the 2011 season.
Barkley has a pair of quality targets in Robert Woods and Marqise Lee, one of the best wide reciever tandems in the country. The Trojans offensive line may be where USC struggles, as departing senior Matt Kalil has been replaced by sophomore Aundrey Walker. He'll have to face Art Laurel, the fearsome pass rusher from Hawaii who collected nine sacks in 2011.
USC's defense looks to have improved since the 2011 season, and stopping Hawaii's run game should provide an early, manageable test for the squad. USC will be looking to prove they deserve their No. 1 ranking from the get-go, and Hawaii should provide an excellent opportunity to do just that.
Game time, TV channel: 4:30 p.m. PT, Fox
Point spread: USC favored by 40
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For more on Trojans football, visit USC blog Conquest Chronicles, plus Pac-12 blog Pacific Takes and SB Nation Los Angeles.
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