RECORDS: No. 1 Southern California 2-0, 0-0 Pacific-10 Conference; Oregon State 1-2, 0-1

SERIES: Southern Cal leads 58-9-4

LAST MEETING: Southern Cal won 24-3 in 2007

COACH: Pete Carroll, eighth season (78-14)

OFFENSE: QB Mark Sanchez is coming off a big game in a 35-3 win over Ohio State on Sept. 13. He tied a career-high by throwing four TD passes while competing 17 of 28 passes for 172 yards. … Sanchez leads an offense that averages 453.0 ypg. The passing offense averages 267.0 ypg, while the ground game gets 186.0 ypg. … Sanchez has completed 43 of 62 passes for 510 yards and seven TDs. … WR Damian Williams is his favorite target. He has 10 catches for 140 yards and two TDs. … RB Joe McKnight is the top ball carrier with 165 yards on 18 carriers. He averages 9.2 yards a carry. … The offense ranks in the upper half of the Pac-10, but doesn't have to work that hard thanks to the defense.

DEFENSE: There are seven returning starters, and several others with experience. That translates into one of the best defenses in the nation, and statistically the best in the conference. It allows 51.5 ypg on the ground, 197.0 ypg of total offense and 5.0 ppg. … LB Rey Maualuga was the Pac-10 defensive player of the week after the Ohio State game. He had a 48-yard INT return for a TD and five tackles. … Four players have 12 tackles or more. … The Trojans have forced four fumbles, have three INTs and seven QB sacks.

SPECIAL TEAMS: David Buehler is a veteran PK. He's 1-for-1 on FGs and 12-for-12 on extra points. … P Greg Woidneck returns and is averaging 35.4 yards on seven attempts, with three downed inside the 20-yard line. … The return men, Ronald Johnson (12.5 average on kickoff returns) and McKnight (8.2 average on punt returns), are back from last year.

NOTABLE: The last time OSU played a No. 1-ranked team was USC in 2004, a 28-20 loss in Corvallis. … The Beavers are 1-6 against the No. 1 team. Six of those games were against USC, one against Washington. … The win was over USC 3-0 on Nov. 11, 1967. Current OSU coach Mike Riley was in the stands with his mother watching his father, Bud, help coach the Beavers.