EUGENE, Ore. - It's been a year of failed expectations for USC.
It's gone from a season of Sugar Bowl or bust to perhaps Sun Bowl or bust.
It's gone from being ranked No. 1 in the preseason to perhaps not being ranked at all.
The Trojans have failed to meet just about every preseason expectation, but on Saturday they actually lived up to expectations.
They were expected to lose to Oregon, and they did just that Saturday at loud and crazy Autzen Stadium.
But clearly the Trojans had their own set of expectations that didn't pan out.
"It's very difficult - we had expectations to come up here and win," USC coach Pete Carroll said. "I'm not talking about the grand scope of things. We missed a big opportunity today."
The missed opportunity was the fact that the team had a chance to tie the game with one last drive despite several mistakes and turnovers.
But the expectation that USC would score was again blown when Mark Sanchez's pass was intercepted at the Oregon 16-yard line with only seconds to play.
Nobody on USC's roster thought the Trojans would come up short.
"I thought we were going to score for sure, and when [we] did we would able to take it to overtime and take the win," linebacker Keith Rivers said. "But if ifs and buts were candies and nuts, we'd all being be having a party right now."
Instead it was the Ducks throwing the party with students and fans rushing the field to celebrate one of the biggest wins in school history - over a team that lost to lowly Stanford just three weeks ago.
The Ducks now are in the thick of the BCS Championship race, and rightfully so. But they were aided by the same dumb mistakes the Trojans have been making all season.
Turnovers were again the key as USC committed three of them, two of which ended in Oregon touchdowns.
And the Trojans couldn't capitalize on two lucky turnovers on special teams play - scoring just three points off them. But it isn't just the turnovers that killed USC, either. Penalties killed the Trojans as they committed six for 80 yards, including one that negated a 65-yard touchdown run by Joe McKnight in the first quarter.
The key to overcoming those problems is to establish a rhythm on offense, according to injured quarterback John David Booty.
"I think we have to put drives together," Booty said. "We keep beating ourselves. When's it third-and-long all the time, and you have touchdowns called back, it's really hard."
But Booty didn't know the answer to why these problems keep happening. The problem is it seems like no one knows why USC keeps struggling.
The Trojans aren't even sure if they can learn from the Oregon loss.
Linebacker Rey Maualuga said the loss will make USC a better team, but then quietly muttered the word "hopefully" under his breath after making the statement.
It is doubts like Maualuga's that make this year's team a disappointment.
The once-mighty Trojans now sit with two Pacific-10 Conference losses, and their streak of five consecutive conference titles is in serious jeopardy.
Despite the losses, Carroll said the team has the same thing to look forward to as it does every week.
"Next week," Carroll said. "It's always been next week. We just have to get back on track and look forward to the game next week."
USC can still salvage a respectable season if it wins out, but even then it might not be enough to play in a BCS bowl game.
"We want to win out," Booty said. "What else can you set for yourself except than to win out? We want to win."
So winning out is now the Trojans new expectation.
We all know how USC's expectations have worked out so far.
