Los Angeles, CA (U-WIRE) -- The start of conference play is all about familiarity, but for USC it's about taking a plunge into uncharted waters.

Saturday, the Trojans will venture into a stadium they haven't played in for three years, against a team with a revamped offense led by a new offensive coordinator.

Top-ranked USC (2-0) travels to raucous Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., to face the No. 24 Oregon Ducks at 4 p.m., in a Pacific-10 Conference opener that should see plenty of offensive fireworks.

The Trojans feature the top-scoring team in the league and the Ducks (3-0) are fourth in total offense in Gary Crowton's first year as offensive coordinator.

Crowton served as Brigham Young's head coach during the previous four seasons and brought the Cougars' spread-option type of offense to Eugene. There is a lot more variety in the new style, with four- and five- receiver sets, empty backfields and the possibility of an option play with a tailback or receiver.

Fortunately for the Trojans, they have played BYU each of the past two seasons, so despite not playing the Ducks since 2002, they know a little of what to expect.

"We're not really in the dark about what they're going to do," cornerback Justin Wyatt said. "They're going to look for the same holes."

Holes may be easier to find now that starting cornerback Terrell Thomas is out for the season with a torn ACL, and linebacker Dallas Sartz's dislocated shoulder will keep him on the sidelines Saturday. Fifth-year senior John Walker will make his first career start in place of Thomas, and Thomas Williams will fill in at linebacker. The unit, which ranks seventh in the Pac-10 in total defense, will be bolstered by the return of safety Darnell Bing, who has recovered from his sore hip.

Defense will be key in a game that features two of the top quarterbacks in the Pac-10 in 2004, Heisman winer Matt Leinart and Oregon's Kellen Clemens. Clemens has shown his ability to run the ball in Oregon's new offensive sets, which always presents an added problem for opposing defenses.

"Running quarterbacks are always the most difficult," USC coach Pete Carroll said. "Clemens is real quick to take off; he has great confidence to take off and run."

The senior has rushed for 137 yards on 30 carries, which is approaching the 190 yards he gained on the ground all of last year. Clemens and the Ducks can also strike through the air, with the quarterback racking up 955 yards passing and eight touchdowns.

Clemens, combined with running back Terrence Whitehead, represent USC's toughest defensive assignment of the young season.

"He is a premium player, and one of the best running backs in the conference," Carroll said of Whitehead. "We need to honor what he is doing; he does keep that offense balanced with that inside running."

A balanced offense that Leinart said his team needs to try and keep off the field as much as possible, which means possibly not scoring as quickly as it did against Arkansas.

"We had a long drive (against Arkansas) - 16 plays - and we're going to have to do that probably on Saturday, and keep our D off the field and let them rest up a little bit," he said.

Leinart, who leads the nation in passing efficiency with a mark of 224.1, and the Trojan attack will look to take advantage of an Oregon defense that ranks last in the Pac-10 in pass defense, allowing 281.0 yards per game.

"We have got to be better at defending the long ball," Duck coach Mike Bellotti said. "(The responsibility) falls on our entire defense, because (USC is) so explosive - it's not just the receivers who can beat you, but the backs, the tight end, the fullback can all run for touchdowns."

The foundation of those playmakers is running back Reggie Bush, who leads the Pac-10 in all-purpose yards with 184.5 yards a game. Bush torched the Arkansas defense last week, scoring the first two times he touched the ball.

He and the Trojans will try to buck a recent trend of playing tough Pac-10 openers. Last year, Stanford nearly knocked off USC in Palo Alto, Calif. and the Trojans' last loss came in the 2003 opener at California in triple overtime.

"It's just one of those things, we can't really explain it, but it's in the back of our minds," Bush said.

A victory on Saturday will put USC's winning streak at 25 games, which will tie the school and Pac-10 record.

(C) 2004 Daily Trojan via U-WIRE