 "Photo: Steevens Alconcel | Daily Trojan")
Nebraska coach Bill Callahan has spent this week telling his team to look at Saturday in the same way they would any other game. The fans must not have received the memo.
Nebraska is expecting a capacity crowd in Lincoln to watch the No. 1 USC Trojans play the No. 14 Nebraska Cornhuskers Saturday at Memorial Stadium at 5 p.m PST. It will mark the first time in 29 years that the Cornhuskers have hosted the nation's top-ranked team.
ESPN's College GameDay will be on hand to feature the game nationally.
Despite the media attention, Callahan is preparing his team as if the game were nothing more than its second contest of the season.
"We have great respect for whoever comes in here," Callahan said. "But the main focus is trying to concentrate and improve your football team."
Callahan has refused to make the game against USC a measuring stick for his team's progress. He does, however, see a lot of overlap between the two programs..
"I don't think we model each other, but we're pretty similar," Callahan said. "Several of their coaches have pro backgrounds, just like we do, so there are a lot of similarities in both staffs in that respect."
While Callahan is approaching the game just like any other, his team might reap the rewards of a raucous crowd in Lincoln. The Trojans have yet to play on the road, and the Cornhuskers hope to exploit that inexperience.
"I think the crowd can make a huge difference, especially because [the Trojans] do a lot of checks and audibles at the line of scrimmage," Callahan said.
With the added target of being the No. 1 team in the nation, the Trojans don't have to be reminded of the hazards of a hostile environment.
"It makes us play our best," USC coach Pete Carroll said of teams paying special attention to the Trojans. "We know it's going to be really difficult, but that makes it really good if you can get over it."
Early road tests have yielded plenty of answers for the Trojans in the past as well.
"We always want to accomplish stuff and then build from there, especially with the young kids, to prove to them that they're capable and worthy of handling these environments," Carroll said.
The Cornhuskers' humble comments are a change of pace from last year, when Cornhusker cornerback Andre Jones guaranteed a Nebraska victory in the week before the game. USC won 28-10.
Callahan was criticized after the game for a conservative offensive game plan. Carroll said that the only safe bet for Saturday is that the Cornhuskers won't look the same offensively as they did last year.
"They've had a full array of plays over the years," Carroll said. "We don't really know what to expect."
If the first two games of the season set any sort of precedent, running back Marlon Lucky could provide the spark that last year's Cornhuskers team lacked.
Lucky, who went to high school in North Hollywood and spurned USC for Nebraska, is the nation's third-leading rusher with 323 yards and four touchdowns.
With a passing attack that has yet to find its rhythm, the Cornhuskers could rely on Lucky to run early and often.
"That is Coach Callahan's thing. He wants to pound it," Lucky said.
While Lucky is expected to shoulder the load for the Cornhuskers, Carroll has said he will continue to rotate running backs throughout the game for the Trojans.
Chauncey Washington has been cleared to play after spraining his shoulder in the game against Idaho. While it's unclear whether Washington will start, Carroll has said that Washington is in "the best shape of his life."
Washington is competing with C.J. Gable and Stafon Johnson for carries Saturday. Gable started the season opener, but Johnson received the most carries.
Joe McKnight and Allen Bradford are also contending for playing time in the backfield. McKnight will return punts as well.
While two weeks proved to be enough time to heal for Washington, the respite may have been too short for Brian Cushing. Cushing is still rehabilitating a sprained ankle suffered against Idaho, and his availability for Saturday is unknown.
If he cannot play, Clay Matthews will start for the first time in his career.
