Here’s something you don’t see every year.

Somebody physically beating up the USC defense and driving the length of the field on it. Well, almost the length of the field. Just pounding it, mostly.

That’s what Ohio State just did, however, going 68 yards in 17 plays and 8 minutes, 45 seconds to take a 3-0 lead.

This could be portentious. I didn’t think OSU could do that. But it just did.

Shows the value of a veteran offensive line (which OSU has), as well as the shakiness of USC’s reconstructed defensive line.

OSU is mixing things up with the fifth-year senior Greg Boeckman and the freshman flash Terrelle Pryor taking turns (almost) at quarterback. The Buckeyes also took advantage of USC’s tendency to over-pursue, with a screen and some other delay-type plays.

Ultimately, a 4-yard loss by Pryor on first-and-goal at the 5 pretty much killed the chance of a TD. But still.

I didn’t think OSU could string together six first downs, the way it just did.

This is going to be closer than I thought.