USC went into Charlottesville and trashed an opponent that went 9-4 last year. How Much It All Means isn’t clear, yet, because as good as the Trojans might be, it doesn’t look like Virginia is going to go 9-4 again, even in the declining ACC.

Final score: USC 52, Virginia 7. And, yes, there were some worrisome aspects to the game, if you’re a USC fan.

For instance:

–The offensive line looked shaky. USC quarterback Mark Sanchez had to move around more than a little back there, even on short-range passes. Virginia was getting at least one guy into the backfield with some regularity, and that reflects an O-line that has been rebuilt around Jeff Byers.

–Sanchez and that knee. Maybe it will take some time to get used to the sight of the brace — Matt Leinart wore one his whole career as a USC starter, did he not? — but it’s a reminder that he dislocated his knee cap just three weeks ago. (Didn’t Andrew Bynum just miss, like, eight months with a dislocated kneecap?) Sanchez was seen fiddling with the brace in the middle of the game, too. And it seemed clear that the drop in quality from Sanchez to Aaron Corp (or Mitch Mustain) is considerable.

–Can USC run for the 1 on fourth-and-1? None of their top three tailbacks (McKnight, Gable, Johnson) look capable of moving a pile, and I’m not sure the O-line is a sure bet to blow opponents backward. Look for a lot of passes on third/fourth-and-short. That’s modern football, but it’s so much more a comfort to know (know) that you can run for 1 on fourth-and-short.

–Stupidity. Virginia would not have scored if USC hadn’t committed a series of bonehead penalties on its one “drive.” The Trojans look just this side of out-of-control — and on the other side of it more than once in a while. It isn’t always bad to lead the conference in penalties — as USC did last year and almost certainly will this year — because that tends to reflect aggression. But some late hit or excessive celebration penalty could turn a game against a better team.

Yes, there were encouraging signs, too.

The USC defense looks genuinely scary. It’s, what, eight seniors and three juniors? Take the usual athleticism the Trojans have, and factor in experience, and this is not a crew a quarterback with a brain in his head will look forward to playing.

Sanchez looks quite competent. He ought to be better than John David Booty, especially on those rare occasions the Trojans go deep. Maybe as good as Matt Leinart, as least as a thrower. Whether he has Leinart’s intangibles … still remains to be seen.

The wide receivers seem much improved. The guys the Trojans kept waiting to come through (your Turner-Ausberry-Hazelton crew) pretty much don’t matter anymore, and that’s a very good thing. I like Damian Williams, the Arkansas transfer, a lot as a possession receiver, and Ronald Johnson looks as if he can get open deep as well as short.  Anthony McCoy looks acceptable as a tight end, and fullback Stanley Havili is better than he played as a receiver.

The McKnight-Gable-Johnson crew may not be your short-yardage preferences, but all three seem capable of popping a 40-yard run at any moment.

David Buehler looks solid as a kicker, and that will matter, later on.

A few predictions:

1. USC beats Ohio State in two weeks. Ohio State has won a lot of games lately, but melted at the sight of the country’s serious programs and, right now, that means the Trojans and whomever is at the top of the heap in the SEC.

2. USC will not go unbeaten. That line, Sanchez’s knee, USC’s doltish tendencies and the difficulty of winning out in the Pac-10 … getting through that without a blemish is a bit much to ask. Also, Pac-10 teams aren’t in awe of the Trojans, even if they should be. Nearly all of them (everyone but Arizona and Arizona State) have a victory over Pete Carroll during his time at USC.

3. Rey Maualuga will be the most overrated player in the country most of the season. He will look like the fiercest guy around, but he will continue to overrun plays, freelance too often and not make nearly as many plays as he ought to. Guys like Clay Matthews, Kaluka Maiava, Brian Cushing and Taylor Mays will cover for him all year.

4. Joe McKnight will still not become The Second Coming of Reggie Bush. His hands are a bit suspect, and he goes down a bit too easily.

This is a good team. The hype around it will be big after the Trojans beat Ohio State by a couple of touchdowns. They will stub their toes at Oregon State or Arizona, or maybe even at home against Cal or Oregon.

Where they play their bowl game will come down to the BCS mechanics — and the hope that everyone else (but one) in the country loses at least one game, too.