IS GETTING ITS DRAFT BOARD READY
USC: Tackle Fili Moala collapsed pockets to the tune of 4.5 sacks and frequently commands double-team blocks. Clay Matthews, son of former USC All-America linebacker Clay Matthews Sr., is a stand-up end who teamed with Kyle Moore for nine sacks. Defensive coordinator Nick Holt values quickness over heft, and this group is as fast off the ball as any in college football.
Advantage: Penn State
LINEBACKER
Penn State: Redshirt sophomore Navorro Bowman didn't make his first career start until the fourth game of the season, against Temple, but once in the lineup he became a fixture, leading the team with 98 tackles. Middle linebacker Josh Hull and the other outside 'backer, Tyrell Sales, are steady if unspectacular.
USC: Middle linebacker Rey Maualuga became the Trojans' first-ever winner of the Bednarik Award as the nation's top defensive player, and was a finalist for the Lombardi, Butkus and Nagurski Awards. He has to be accounted for on every play. On a par with the heat-seeking Samoan missile is fellow All-America Brian Cushing.
Advantage: USC
SECONDARY
Penn State: Cornerbacks Lydell Sargeant and Tony Davis and safeties Anthony Scirrotto and Mark Rubin are all seniors who seldom get caught out of position. When the Nits go to their nickel and dime packages, A.J. Wallace and Drew Astorino play nearly as much as the regulars and also are fundamentally sound.
USC: Free safety Taylor Mays is going to be an All-Pro someday; as it is, he's a consensus All-America. The Trojans give up only 122.8 passing yards per game, tops nationally, but could be a bit more vulnerable if All-Pac 10 strong safety Kevin Ellison as expected sits out the Rose Bowl with a stiff shoulder.
Advantage: Penn State
SPECIAL TEAMS
Penn State: Senior placekicker Kevin Kelly nailed 19 of 23 field goals to run his career total to 77 of 106. Punter Jeremy Boone finished second in the Big Ten with a 42.5-yard average. Derrick Williams can instantly change a game's momentum. He ran back two kickoffs and one punt for touchdowns this season, boosting his total to five, most among PSU players in the Joe Paterno era.
USC: David Buehler was first team All-Pac 10 as the placekicker, but he was only 8 of 12 on field goals because the Trojans seldom had to settle for three points. Buehler's strength is his ability to produce touchbacks on kickoffs, or to pin opponents inside their 20-yard line.
Advantage: Penn State
1. More fundamental football, fewer gadget plays by Penn State. The Nittany Lions' game plan usually calls for a bit of trickery - reverses, double-reverses, flanker option passes - but even if you get USC to initially bite on that sort of thing, the Trojans have athletes with the sort of speed to recover quickly and blow the play up.
2. Sacks will be at a premium. USC quarterback Mark Sanchez isn't likely to take off running, by design or otherwise, but he's mobile enough to buy time by stepping up or back in the pocket, or side to side.
3. Special teams could prove especially important. All other things being equal, a big special-teams play - a long return, a blocked field goal, a punt being downed inside the 5-yard line - can shift momentum in a hurry.
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