By late November a football team is like an old man getting out of bed, having to take an inventory every morning of what hurts.
The Trojans are cleaved. Both their leading tackler tackler Cameron Smith and starting middle linebacker Lamar Dawson are out for the season. Spectacular wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster had hand surgery earlier this month. He’s trying to play through it but he’s shield hand will be weaker. They’re starting a freshman at guard on a depleted offensive line, having already lost anAll-American candidate in center in Max Tuerk.
The Ducks have suffered the same grisly and uncertain toll of wounds and rehabilitations.