Midterms Will Be Pass-Fail

PULLMAN, Wash. —  Washington State quarterback Jason Gesser reviewed tape of USC’s victory over Oregon State and is painfully aware of the Trojan defensive line’s starring role.

Gesser, who has been wearing a flak jacket to protect an injured ribcage muscle, said he winced a few times when Oregon State quarterback Derek Anderson absorbed repeated shots from USC’s front four, which dominated from start to finish in a 22-0 victory last week.

USC didn’t blitz much against Oregon State, but Gesser expects a different approach today when the No. 18 Trojans play No. 17 Washington State in a Pacific 10 Conference game at Martin Stadium.

“I think they’re going to blitz all day long till the cows come home trying to get in and get hits on me,” Gesser said. “If I take a couple, that’s just football.

“They’re probably thinking that hopefully the hits will add up and hurt me at the end of the game.”

Give Gesser credit for reading minds as well as pass coverages.

“Knowing he’s a little dinged or whatever gives us a little more incentive to come after him and do our thing,” USC defensive tackle Shaun Cody said. “We’re just going to go in there and make the hit on him. The harder we can make it the better. That’s the way you’ve got to see it. You want to hit somebody and make them feel it.”

Or, as nose tackle Bernard Riley said: “If he shows us he’s hurting, he’s in trouble because once we smell blood we go for all of it.”

Gesser is regarded as a dangerous scrambler, but he stayed in the pocket most of the time last week against California and passed for 432 yards and four touchdowns in a 48-38 victory.

The 6-foot-1 senior has passed for 1,282 yards and 11 touchdowns this season for the Cougars (4-1, 1-0), the preseason favorites to win the Pac-10.

USC Coach Pete Carroll said Gesser showed his mettle against Cal when he bounced back from several shots.

“He got hit late in that game and came back the next play and threw a touchdown pass,” Carroll said. “He’s obviously tough and courageous and healthy enough.”

Washington State, which averages 429.8 yards, is expected to challenge USC cornerbacks William Buchanon and Darrell Rideaux with 6-6 split end Mike Bush and 6-3 flanker Devard Darling. Buchanon is 6-3, Rideaux 5-9.

USC (3-1, 1-0) needs a breakout game from its offense, which ranks last in the Pac-10 in total yardage (354.3 yards a game), ninth in rushing (113.5) and seventh in passing (240.8).

Quarterback Carson Palmer has completed 57.7% of his attempts in the Trojans’ ball-control passing game and will operate against a Cougar defense that ranks seventh in the conference, giving up 357.4 yards a game.

Palmer has passed for five touchdowns with three interceptions in 149 attempts. Tailbacks Sultan McCullough and Justin Fargas are averaging 4.5 and 2.9 yards a carry, respectively.

“They have played some good defensive teams, so their offensive statistics are a little misleading,” Washington State Coach Mike Price said. “Carson Palmer is playing the best I have ever seen him since he’s been at USC.”

Washington State suffered its only defeat Sept. 14 at Ohio State, 25-7. The Cougars led, 7-6, at halftime but could not contain freshman running back Maurice Clarett, who gained 194 of his 230 yards in the second half.

The Cougars’ victories came against Nevada, Idaho, Montana State and Cal.

Today’s game is USC’s first at Martin Stadium since 1999, when it escaped with a 31-28 victory. Washington State won two years ago at the Coliseum, 33-27. The teams did not play last season.

Price hopes the crowd will unnerve a Trojan team that struggled in a hostile environment at Kansas State.

Palmer does not anticipate a repeat.

“It can’t be louder than K-State,” Palmer said. “We played at Washington and other places with bigger stadiums. I can’t imagine it being noisier than that.”