Home Schedule Lacks Flair

Here’s the lineup: San Diego State, Oregon State, Stanford, Arizona State, UCLA and Louisiana Tech.

That’s the Trojans’ home schedule this season. Not exactly a marquee lineup.

The reason is that a planned game with Colorado fell through, and talks with Miami failed to produce a game, said Daryl Gross, the associate athletic director who handles scheduling.

“If you look at all the schedules past and future, they’re all tough,” Gross said. “We usually play a big-time schedule.”

USC played Purdue at the Coliseum last season and Florida State the season before. Colorado, Auburn and Brigham Young are on future schedules, and Notre Dame, of course, visits every other year.

The danger of a weaker schedule is that it would become a factor if USC were in the bowl championship series picture late in the season. But that probably won’t be a concern unless the Trojans are unbeaten after six games.

The other issue is what the home fans get to see.

“I think they want to see us play well,” Gross said. “I think that’s what they’re always looking for. If we play well and make a run [for a championship], that’s what they want.”

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Receiver Damon Gourdine is San Diego State’s equivalent of USC tailback Chad Morton. Too small to draw much attention out of high school, they’ve made their mark on the field.

“Damon Gourdine, you say you’re not going to get involved with him because maybe he doesn’t look like you’re supposed to look, but he plays like you’re supposed to play, and I’ve been really impressed with him,” USC Coach Paul Hackett said. “From a kick-return standpoint, he’s superb.”

Gourdine, who will play despite a sore ankle, is 5 feet 7 and 165 pounds--a smurf next to Morton, who is listed at 5-8 and 185.

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Tanqueray Clark will start at cornerback after Kris Richard missed two days of practice because of a sore hamstring, though Richard will play. . . . A crowd of 60,000 is expected.

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Time: 12:30 p.m.

* Site: Coliseum.

* TV: Channel 7.

* Radio: XTRA (690), KCTD (1540).

* The offenses: USC is leading the nation in scoring, though its 62-point average is a bit of a statistical quirk because the Trojans had the second week of the season off. Quarterback Carson Palmer is clicking with receivers Windrell Hayes and Kareem Kelly, and R. Jay Soward is due for a breakout game after only three catches against Hawaii. Injuries at running back to Malaefou MacKenzie, Frank Strong and backup fullback Chad Pierson mean Chad Morton and Sultan McCullough will get all the carries they want, and Jabari Jackson will play fullback as well as tailback. San Diego State is breaking in a new starting quarterback in junior Jack Hawley, and he figures to get extra pressure from USC early. With that in mind, Coach Ted Tollner says the Aztecs will try to reestablish their ground game after rushing for only 80 yards against Illinois.

* The defenses: The Trojan defense hasn’t given up a point yet, Hawaii scoring its only touchdown on an interception. Hawaii rushed for only 27 yards--the Rainbows ran on only 22 plays--and lost 59 yards on seven sacks. San Diego State’s defense stumbled against Illinois, giving up 38 points by falling prey to the big play: touchdown passes of 54 and 38 yards and a 56-yard punt return to the two-yard line. The defensive line and linebackers are the strength of the team, and the Aztecs have nine sacks already, four by end Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (No. 93) and three by linebacker Martin Chlumaak (No. 52).

* Key to the game: Palmer is no longer a rookie by any standard, and Hawley, a junior college transfer, is making his first major-college start.

* Fast fact: San Diego State Coach Ted Tollner, who was 14-8-1 in the Coliseum as USC’s coach, is 0-1 there with the Aztecs. Tollner’s overall record at USC was 26-20-1.

* Line: USC by 23 1/2.

HOW THEY COMPARE

USC San Diego State

62 Scoring 25.5

7 Points allowed 25

250 Passing 182

279 Rushing 154.5

529 Total offense 336.5

194 Passing defense 206.5

27 Rushing defense 89.5

221 Total defense 296.0