Under The Microscope

Southern California quarterback Mark Sanchez is coming off the best game of his young career. Ohio State quarterback Todd Boeckman is coming off one of his worst games in a career that has seemingly lasted forever.

So which team has the edge going into Saturday night's showdown between No. 1 USC and No. 5 Ohio State at the Coliseum (ABC, 8 p.m. ET)?

AP Photo/Jay LaPrete

Todd Boeckman is 13-2 as a starter for Ohio State.

"We'll have to play better than we did this game, that's for sure," Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel said after his team narrowly escaped with a 26-14 win over Ohio on Saturday. "I think everyone knows [USC] is a great football team, but the key to the game for us will be us."

The key for the Buckeyes might be Boeckman, especially if All-American running back Chris "Beanie" Wells remains sidelined with a right toe injury. Wells, who ran for 1,609 yards last season, didn't play against Ohio after injuring his toe in a 43-0 win over FCS opponent Youngstown State on Aug. 30.

Wells is expected to return against the Trojans, but his status remained largely uncertain as the Buckeyes began preparations for USC.

Ohio State couldn't have been happy looking in the mirror on Sunday morning. Playing without Wells, the Buckeyes managed only 272 yards of offense against the Bobcats. Ohio State trailed for much of the game, before finally taking a 19-14 lead on Brandon Saine's 2-yard touchdown run one minute into the fourth quarter.

Boeckman, who completed 14 of 19 passes for 187 yards with two touchdowns against Youngstown State, struggled mightily against Ohio. He completed 16 of 26 passes for 110 yards, averaging only 4.2 yards per attempt. Boeckman was under pressure for much of the game, as his offensive line struggled to block the seemingly overmatched Ohio defensive linemen.

But Boeckman delivered when Ohio State needed it most, completing five of six passes during two second-half touchdown drives.

"Offensively, we need to get a lot better," Boeckman said after the Ohio game. "We did some things out there we're not very proud of. We made some mistakes. We've got to go out there play harder, faster, stronger and just do everything a little bit better."

I think everyone knows [USC] is a great football team, but the key to the game for us will be us.

--Ohio State coach Jim Tressel

The USC game offers Boeckman a chance for redemption. Boeckman waited four years to become Ohio State's starting quarterback. After leading the Buckeyes to an 11-1 record during the regular season in 2007, he was largely ineffective in a 38-24 loss to LSU in the BCS Championship Game.

Boeckman completed 15 of 26 passes for 208 yards with two interceptions against LSU. He was sacked five times, but threw two touchdowns after the Tigers had taken a 31-10 lead.

In his sixth season in Ohio State's program, Boeckman hopes it's finally his time to shine.

"I'm going on six years," Boeckman said. "It's been awhile."

Boeckman has played much of his career in an underdog role. Tressel said Boeckman was given a scholarship only after quarterback Brady Quinn chose Notre Dame over Ohio State in 2003. Boeckman was gray shirted during his freshman season in 2003, joining the Buckeyes for preseason camp and then leaving the team when classes started that fall. He rejoined the Buckeyes in January 2004 and spent the next three seasons behind 2006 Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith.

It only seems as if Boeckman has been at Ohio State for a decade, Tressel joked.

"I think Ohio State is very important to him and he's going to lay it out on the line for Ohio State," Tressel said. "He did it when he was 18 and he's doing it when he's 35."

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Will Terrelle Pryor be a factor on Saturday against USC?

Ohio State freshman Terrelle Pryor won't have to wait as long to play in a big game for the Buckeyes. Pryor, who was widely considered the country's top quarterback prospect, will probably take the field at some point against USC. He didn't play much against Ohio, getting a three-and-out series in the first half. Pryor didn't re-enter the game until the outcome was decided with about three minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Pryor threw two incomplete passes and ran five times for 37 yards against the Bobcats. His college debut against Youngstown State was more impressive. He completed four of six passes for 35 yards and ran nine times for 52 yards and one touchdown.

Tressel wanted to test Pryor under fire on Saturday. The coach said he wanted to put Pryor into the Ohio game when the Buckeyes were leading 19-14 with about six minutes to play. But Ray Small returned a punt 69 yards for a touchdown, keeping the Buckeyes' offense off the field.

"I felt like we were going to get the ball near midfield," Tressel said. "I said to [offensive coordinator Jim Bollman], 'Why don't we have Terrelle see if he could take this?' Coach Bolls says, 'You sure you want to put him under pressure like that?' I said, 'When would you like his first pressure to be?'"

Sanchez, a junior from Mission Viejo, Calif., already has faced pressure at USC. He started three times during the 2007 season after senior John David Booty broke a finger. Sanchez beat Arizona 20-13 in his first start, then threw four touchdowns in a 38-0 victory over Notre Dame.

At Oregon on Oct. 27, Sanchez nearly led the Trojans to a come-from-behind victory. But Sanchez threw an interception at the Ducks' 15-yard line with only nine seconds left in a 24-17 loss. Booty returned to the lineup the following week, and Sanchez spent much of the offseason remembering his mistake against the Ducks.

The difference between Mark's ability to run our offense and the other kids is obvious.

--USC coach Pete Carroll on Mark Sanchez

Sanchez was finally given the keys to USC's offense this season. But his first season as the Trojans' full-time starter was nearly derailed during preseason camp. On Aug. 8, Sanchez dislocated his left knee cap during practice.

"I felt like I had played very well in the first few days of camp and then my knee goes out," Sanchez said. "Getting injured really made me take a step back and think about what I wanted this season to be."

Sanchez returned to practice 17 days after injuring his knee and had less than a week to prepare for the Aug. 30 opener at Virginia. He played brilliantly against the Cavaliers, completing 26 of 35 passes for 338 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.

The Trojans were so impressive they jumped Georgia and Ohio State for the No. 1 ranking in each of college football's major polls.

"It's really a testament to a great running game, and the receivers making some big-time catches, bailing me out on the sideline quite a few times," Sanchez said. "Then, there's the offensive line. When you get that kind of time, you should be able to make the right decisions."

Geoff Burke-US PRESSWIRE

Mark Sanchez shined in his season debut against Virginia.

Sanchez doesn't figure to have as much time to throw against the Ohio State defense, which is led by All-American linebacker James Laurinaitis and cornerback Malcolm Jenkins. Nine starters returned from a unit that led the country in total defense and pass defense last season.

The Buckeyes didn't allow a touchdown pass in their first two games this year and rank second in total defense, allowing only 164 yards per game.

USC offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian said he was encouraged by what he saw from Sanchez in the opener.

"We did a lot of things right," Sarkisian said. "We really wanted to get Mark into a rhythm early in that game and he responded very well. He's got such a great grasp of what we want him to do and he's playing with a lot of confidence."

Sanchez is playing much better than his backups, making his health perhaps the Trojans' biggest concern this season. When Sanchez was sidelined during preseason camp, Arkansas transfer Mitch Mustain and freshman Aaron Corp struggled in his absence.

"The difference between Mark's ability to run our offense and the other kids is obvious," Trojans coach Pete Carroll said. "He's just that much farther along and he's so much more experienced in the system. The tempo's so much faster. It makes such a difference. He calls plays impeccably and gets the guys out of the huddle so much faster. It really helps everything, especially the line."

On Saturday, there will be plenty on the line for the quarterbacks of both teams.