With a lackluster performance against Minnesota to start the season, USC probably will need to play better against Utah on Saturday in the first-ever Pacific-12 Conference game.
Motivation should not be a problem after the Trojans watched game films of their 19-17 victory over the Golden Gophers.
"I felt we should have beat them worse than we did," linebacker Dion Bailey said. "For sure we can't have a close one (against Utah)."
Coach Lane Kiffin is pleased by the familiarity of facing former USC offensive coordinator Norm Chow's offense, but it counts both ways. Chow faced USC defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin once in the NFL, with UCLA against Tennessee in 2009 and last year when he worked at UCLA.
"We're going to have our hands full," Lane Kiffin said.
USC wide receiver Robert Woods, who caught a school-record 17 passes against Minnesota, was asked if the Trojans could defeat Utah with a similar performance.
"I don't have an answer for that," Woods said.
Still confident
Even with the Minnesota game going down to the final minute, USC's confidence remained high heading into the Utah game.
"I wasn't worried at all," Trojans defensive tackle DaJohn Harris said. "Not to be cocky or anything but we go over our two-minute defense all the time. There's no such thing as an easy win. And it's the first game. We didn't have much film on Minnesota."
Attendance decline
USC's home opener
against Minnesota drew 68,273, the smallest home opener since 2002, when the Trojans drew 63,269 against Auburn.
Home-field advantage?
USC actually has been better on the road than at home of late. Since a Stanford home loss in November 2009, USC is 5-5 at the Coliseum, and three victories were by three points or fewer. The Trojans were outscored 266-263 in those games.
USC is 6-2 on the road in that span and has outscored opponents 249-194.
Special play
Offensive tackle Matt Kalil not only is the Trojans' highest-rated lineman, he is a valuable member of the special teams.
Kalil blocked Minnesota kicker Chris Hawthorne's 51-yard field goal in the first quarter.
"I made an emphasis to get one," Kalil said.
He said he was pleased with the performance of the much-criticized offensive line. It didn't allow a sack, although USC's quick-pass offense was a significant reason for that stat.
"It's about getting on the same page," Kalil said. "I thought we did pretty good. I felt like the game was a lot farther apart than the score was."