Utah and USC Play Inaugural Pac-12 Football Game

9/5/2011 12:00 AM | Football

Sept. 5, 2011

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TV: Versus	Radio: ESPN 700

SALT LAKE CITY

> Utah (1-0, 0-0 Pac-12) plays USC (1-0, 0-0 Pac-12) in the inaugural Pac-12 Conference game on Saturday, Sept. 10 in Los Angeles. Kickoff is 4:30 p.m. PT (5:30 MT) in the Los Angeles Coliseum. The game will be nationally televised on VERSUS. Radio is ESPN700 AM (espn700sports.com).

> The historic first Pac-12 game features its newest member, Utah, and the winningest program in conference history, USC. The Trojans' 769 all-time wins excludes 14 wins later vacated due to NCAA penalty.

> USC has claimed 11 national championships (although it was stripped of its 2004 title), while Utah's best national finish was No. 2 (A.P.) in 2008. The Utes finished No. 4 in the A.P. poll in 2004.

> > Utah has made nine bowl appearances since 2001, going 8-1 with a 2-0 record in BCS bowl games. The Utes have finished in the Top 25 five times in the last eight years.

> Excluding six wins and a loss vacated due to NCAA penalty, USC's record in the L.A. Coliseum is 405-128-27.

> Since 2003, Utah has compiled an 80-22 overall record (78%) for an average of nearly 10 wins a season.

> USC leads the series 6-3, although Utah won the last match-up, 10-6 in the 2001 Las Vegas Bowl. Utah last played USC in the Coliseum in 1948.

> Utah opened its 2011 season with a 27-10 win over Montana State on Sept. 1. Junior college transfer John White (Torrance, Calif./L.A. Harbor College) rushed for 150 yards and Brian Blechen (Moorpark, Calif./Moorpark HS) made two interceptions.

DYNAMITE DEBUTS

Running back John White, safety Eric Rowe and kicker Coleman Petersen made sterling debuts against Montana State. White, a junior college transfer making his first NCAA appearance, had the best debut for a Ute running back since 1998, when Mike Anderson rushed for 150 yards against Utah State. White netted 150 yards on 19 carries (7.9 average) and scored two touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving). Rowe, a true freshman, logged nine tackles. Peterson, a junior whose past experience was on the scout teams, made field goals of 37 and 44 yards and three PATs. He did not miss a kicking attempt.

CONNECTIONS

Utah offensive coordinator Norm Chow and offensive line coach Tim Davis both are both former USC assistants. Chow was the USC offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2001-04, when he mentored Heisman Trophy winners Carson Palmer (2002) and Matt Leinart (2004). The Trojans won national titles in 2003 and 2004, although they were later stripped of their 2004 title for NCAA violations. Davis coached the USC offensive line from 2002-04.

TRAGEDY FOLLOWS FIRST GAME

The Utah football team is dealing with the death of teammate Ron Tongaonevai's wife Janelle, who was killed in a car accident in West Valley City, Utah, last Thursday following Utah's game against Montana State. The University has received permission from the NCAA to cover the funeral expenses.

OUTSIDE THE LINES

The Utah ticket office has sold 5,000 tickets to Saturday's game at USC and thousands more Ute fans are expected to attend who purchased tickets directly from USC or through other means ... In honor of the inaugural Pac-12 game and in recognition of the 10th anniversary of 9/11, the Pac-12 has created a commemorative painted game ball that will be signed by all of the league's head coaches and donated to the 9/11 Memorial. The commemorative game ball departed August 30 on a 12-day journey throughout the conference and was signed by each head coach before moving on to the next school. The ball began its journey in Eugene, Ore., will stop in Salt Lake City on Sept. 7, and will arrive in Los Angeles on Sept. 9. It will be presented to Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott during pre-game festivities in the Coliseum on Saturday. Fans will be able to track the ball's trip on twitter by following the hashtag #pac12kickoff.

CALIFORNIA UTES

Utah has 32 native Californians on its roster, including these starters: OT John Cullen (La Mirada), OC Tevita Stevens (Hemet), OG Sam Brenner (Oceanside), QB Jordan Wynn (Oceanside), RB John White IV (Torrance), FB Dallin Rogers (Placerville), WR Reggie Dunn (Compton), LB Brian Blechen (Moorpark), CB Ryan Lacy (Antelope), NB Reggie Topps (Prunedale) and SN Patrick Greene (Monrovia). Miles Mason (Los Angeles) started at left tackle in place of the injured Cullen (concussion) in the opener last Thursday.

U-TWEETS

Utah is 9-2 all-time in games televised by VERSUS ... Utah's record on Sept. 10 is 3-1 (0-1 on the road, losing to Arizona in 1983) ... Utah has never played a conference game on Sept. 10 ... Saturday's game at USC is the sixth-earliest conference game in school history (earliest was a WAC game vs. New Mexico on Sept. 3, 1983) ... Utah is 3-1-1 (2-1 road) in new conference openers ... Kyle Whittingham is 5-1 in "game two," with wins over Utah State (2005), Northern Arizona (2006), UNLV (2008, 2010) and San Jose State (2009) and a loss to Air Force (2007).

INSIDE THE HUDDLE

Senior left tackle John Cullen is expected to return to the starting lineup after missing the season-opener with a concussion ... Four true freshmen played against Montana State: safety Eric Rowe, defensive end Nate Fakahafua, receiver Charles Henderson (punt returns) and running back Harvey Langi (special teams) ... Rowe was one of nine players making their first career starts. The others were: RB John White, OT Miles Mason, OG Vyncent Jones, DE Joe Kruger, DT James Aiono, DB Conroy Black, DB Ryan Lacy and DB Michael Walker.