After an offseason of speculation that Brett Favre would come out of retirement to play quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings this season, the future Hall-of-Famer has decided to remain retired instead. The flirtation lasted several months and included surgeries, workouts and visits by team officials but ended up netting nothing in the end.
For those that think Favre held the team hostage this offseason, I don’t think that’s a fair assessment. Favre underwent surgery and did his best to get back into playing shape for the season. He felt that he was unable to perform at a high level at this juncture and decided to remain retired instead of playing at less than 100 percent health.

At his age, the rigors of the NFL season catch up to you much quicker than they do to the average player. “It was the hardest decision I’ve ever made,” Favre was quoted as saying by ESPN’s Ed Werder. “I didn’t feel like physically I could play at a level that was acceptable.” You can blame everything on Favre if you like, but keep in mind that the Vikings knew full well what they were getting themselves into. They knew Favre was not the most hasty decision-maker and that there was a chance that he would not play, especially coming off an injury. Perhaps this season would have been a disaster with Favre on the team. All we can do is move forward.

So who will fans that purchase Minnesota Vikings tickets see lining up under center come opening day? For head coach Brad Childress, the call will come down to Tavaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels. Jackson has to be the favorite considering the loyalty that Childress has shown him since drafting him in the second round a few years back. Jackson has a lot of physical tools and talent, but he’s been wildly inconsistent in his short NFL career. He’s frequently drawn the ire of Vikings fans with his tendency to turn the ball over and, at times, hurts the team more than he helps it. Jackson put together an impressive four-game stretch to close out the regular season last year, though, the team going 3-1 while Jackson threw eight touchdowns passes to just one interception. That was the most consistent stretch of Jackson’s career, but it does bode well for the future.

The team traded for Rosenfels early in the offseason before the Favre courtship began. Rosenfels is a journeyman, but has played well in limited opportunities over the years. He’s got all the tools to be a starter in the league, but needs to learn to take fewer chances with the ball. Whichever quarterback wins the starting job needs to take care of the ball. This team boasts one of the best running games in the league, with Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor, and has a quality, turnover-oriented defense as well. Ball control will be a major focus of the team’s offense and the quarterback that displays the best ability to protect the ball will likely be the one to win the job, though Childress has stuck with Jackson through a lot in the past.

We know one thing for sure, now; Brett Favre will not be playing for the Minnesota Vikings in 2009. The team will most likely rely on Tavaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels to lead the team to the NFC North title for a second consecutive season. They may not be future Hall-of-Famers, but they’re what the team has and the fans need to accept that and move on.

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[tags]Minnesota Vikings, football, NFL, sports, tickets[/tags]

The dust has settled in Minnesota, and after all of the hullabaloo, they didn’t end up landing quarterback Brett Favre. The possibility of them nabbing the former Green Bay Packer great caused quite a list of “what ifs” from analysts around the league, and drew attention to the interesting quarterback situation in Minnesota. Unless they add another quarterback sometime in the next month or so, their starting quarterback will most likely either be Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels with third-stringer John David Booty also vying for a position.

Neither is quite as exciting a prospect as Favre, but they could still be enough to make the Vikings competitive this season. The news of Favre comes at the same time that the Vikings’ defensive end Kenechi Udeze announced his retirement. Even with that news, this year is sure to be exciting in Minnesota, and fans can get their Minnesota Vikings tickets online.

Kenechi Udeze’s retirement isn’t the normal type for the league. He has only been in the league since 2004, but his struggle with leukemia made it too difficult for him to train for a season in the NFL. He started with the Vikings after being drafted in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft by the Vikings from USC. That first year, he started all but one game and had 36 tackles, five sacks and one pass defended. He struggled through injuries his second season, but he was back to starting nearly every game by 2006. Similar success followed in 2007 with 47 tackles, five sacks and one pass defended. He was diagnosed with the disease early in 20089, forcing him to miss all of last season. The Vikings kept him on the payroll throughout the year, up until his retirement this offseason.

On to the quarterbacks. Tarvaris Jackson has been with the Minnesota Vikings since he first entered the league in 2006. That year, he was primarily used as a backup and started two games. He had 475 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions. The next season, he started 12 games, finishing with 1,911 yards, nine touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a passer rating of 70.8. He started five games last season and had his best rating so far with nine touchdowns, two interceptions and a rating of 95.4. This could be the season where he really steps up and leads.

Sage Rosenfels marks his first year with the Vikings this season. He started his career in 2001 with the Washington Redskins, but didn’t see any playing time. In 2002, he became a Miami Dolphin, where he stayed for four seasons. The last three seasons, he has been with the Houston Texans. Last season, he started five of the six games he played, tallying 1,431 yards, six touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a rating of 79.5.

Booty attended college at USC and was drafted by the Vikings in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. Last season, he was moved to second string because of an injury to Gus Frerotte, but he didn’t see any playing time. Some reports from training camp say that Booty is looking promising for this season.

This article was sponsored by StubHub.com. StubHub sells tickets to sporting events, concerts and theater productions. Go to StubHub.com for Minnesota Vikings tickets.

[tags]Minnesota Vikings, football, NFL, sports, tickets[/tags]

Penn State head Coach Joe Parterno answered reporters’ questions during Big Ten media day. Get NCAA Football tickets and see Coach Joe leading Penn State to another BCS title. At one point, the 82-year-old coach paused and asked the press if they have to talk about something. He was wondering if the fans have to put something on “Twittle-do, Twittle-dee?” The coach made it clear he was not posting on Twitter. Paterno has been feeling good lately and has a lot to look forward to this season. He feels much better now that he has a new hip. The coach had hip replacement surgery after last season. He is free of the pain that bothered him for two years. Penn State is coming off a Rose Bowl appearance and a share of the Big Ten title. And let’s not forget that Paterno has a new three-year contract extension. Life appears to be good for Paterno, but what about his team?

The Big Ten media thinks highly of the Nittany Lions, selecting Penn State to be second in the preseason poll behind Ohio State. But Paterno will not jump the gun and make a prediction on where he thinks his team ranks. The Nittany Lions have holes on the offensive line and at receiver, but Perterno also has first-team, all-conference quarterback Daryll Clark back to lead the team that went 11-2 last season. Another strong season by the Nittany Lions has silenced critics who thought it was time for the old coach to retire. The coach said he has been pleased with his team’s performance. He stated that a couple of year ago that his team was having problems and people were putting pressure on him.

Paterno said he was only one or two players away from having a good team, and Penn State had four pretty good seasons since then. He has been the head coach at Penn State since 1966 and he’s not planning to leave soon. His new contract puts retirement on hold for now. The coach said there will be a time when he will have to look in the mirror and say it’s time to retire because he has an obligation to the university, and he doesn’t just want to go out on the field and go through the motions. But right now, Paterno will lead his team from the sidelines. Clark said a lot of people use to ask him when Coach Joe will retire. It’s his last year at Penn State and Paterno is still there.

Defensive tackle Jared Odrick said having Paterno on the field gives the team a dimension of being a Penn State football player. But how much longer will he be on the sidelines? The coach is living in the moment, which was clear when he made everyone laugh after his Twitter remark. One reporter asked the coach what keeps him coming back year after year. He had a quick response. The coach said “Oh, I’d miss you guys.” Paterno added what would he do on a nice beautiful day in July? He might be 82-years-old, but he has a heart of a five year old boy.

This article was sponsored by StubHub. StubHub sells NCAA Football tickets, as well as many other kinds of sports tickets, concert tickets, special events tickets and theater tickets.

[tags]NCAA Football, sports, tickets, football[/tags]

After two years away from the game, Michael Vick has officially been reinstated by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to resume his professional football career, though there are a few conditions. Vick can be signed by any team and practice with that team during both the preseason and regular season, but Vick can only play in the final two preseason games and will not be eligible for a regular season contest until week six. Some may think that these conditions are too harsh, some too lenient. Regardless, this is now where Michael Vick’s status stands.

I think a harsher punishment on the part of Roger Goodell would have been unnecessary. Remember that it was that Adam “Pacman” Jones and Chris Henry were regularly running into trouble with the law without significant consequence that prompted Goodell to step in and discipline the two players with major suspensions. Michael Vick was punished by the court system and he’s already missed two seasons due to his jail time. Vick’s crimes are indefensible, but the league was smart enough to let the judicial system’s punishment stand as the central penalty. Even he deserves a chance to try to return to the NFL. One could argue that if an employee at any other company was accused of Vick’s crimes and denied their involvement to their boss, as Vick did, there is no way that the company would allow them to return to work upon their release from prison. Well the NFL is not just another company and there are very few people who can perform the services that keep this particular company running.

There’s no guarantee that an organization takes a chance on Vick anyway. The public relations implications are potentially disastrous. There will be picketing, protests, angry letters, the works. But Vick’s talent, at least the talent he possessed before going away, is of unprecedented proportions. Vick was supposed to revolutionize the quarterback position with his mobility and playmaking ability. He didn’t quite do that, but he did have considerable success despite being a mediocre pocket passer. NFL tickets to see the Falcons were extremely popular when Vick was on the team. Fans wanted to see Vick, a guy with elite wide receiver speed, make plays with his feet from the quarterback position.

Who can we expect to take a look at Vick? The Raiders are my first instinct, as owner Al Davis covets players with Vick’s strong arm and swift feet. To land a player with both traits could be too much to resist for Davis. The Patriots are another option that comes to mind. New England has a history of taking chances on players with troubled pasts and turning their careers around. Another owner who is not afraid to take a chance is Dallas’ Jerry Jones, but he’s been burned lately on risky signings of guys like Terrell Owens, Adam Jones and Tank Johnson.

Vick may not play in the NFL this season, or he might. I’d be surprised if we didn’t see him don another NFL uniform before his playing days are out, though. We may see him play in the newly-formed United Football League, we may see him return to the NFL as a wide receiver, but I think, at the very least, we’ll see him play professional football again.

This article was sponsored by StubHub, one of the finest places in the entire world wide web to get NFL tickets, concert tickets, theatre tickets, special events tickets, or almost any kind of sports ticket out there.

[tags]NFL, sports, tickets, football[/tags]

The biggest star in college football had been asked every other question so someone asked a new one. Is Tim Tebow perfect? He is a Heisman winner, BCS champion, and a Born Again Christian in a Florida quarterback’s uniform. Get NCAA Football tickets and see Tebow throw a touchdown pass. The press showed up on SEC media day wondering what is Tebow’s negative. Is he too earnest? Is he too polite? Does the quarterback of a popular school do anything wrong? The reporters tried to find out.

Clay Travis, who wrote a book called “On Rocky Top,” asked Tebow if he was saving himself for marriage. The quarterback laughed. Everyone in the interview room laughed. Tebow’s sex life is now an issue. What happened to asking him about University of Florida’s running back rotation or the pressure of being ranked number 1 in the preseason?

The noise quickly died down when the quarterback began to answer the question. He said he was waiting for marriage. There were more giggles. The quarterback continued to tell the media that he knows they are all stunned. Tebow smiled and said he was ready for the question, but the press was not ready. UF’s quarterback is a virgin and he is proud to admit it. He was fine with the question and wants to let everyone know that not even the coeds in Gainesville could break him of his commitment to Christianity. The quarterback stated that the number one way you minister people is through your actions. Tebow knows they see how you act, how you treat people, how you love people, and how strong your relationship with Jesus Christ is.

So there you go; one more thing to like about the guy, one more thing for the opposition to taunt him with. Not that the quarterback would care. He looked very proud when he answered Travis’ question. After the quarterback wore a bible verse under his eyes at the BCS title game last January, it was searched for 94 million times on the internet.

Tebow decided to come back to UF for his senior season. There was no doubt who was the biggest star during SEC media days-it was number 15 for the Gators. Keep in mind, there was one thousand reporters conducting countless of interviews stretched over three days, and they waited patiently for Tebow to arrive. The SEC media relations people had to sneak him in to the hotel to avoid the crowds. He wasn’t like the other NCAA football players, where they would rotate in and out of the interview room.

Tebow was a different story. He strolled into a ballroom that had 18 cameras on him. It was like he showed up at a Hollywood premier. The quarterback was not unanimously selected as first-team ALL-SEC. He was asked if he knew who did not vote for him. The quarterback shrugged and said he did not know who didn’t vote for him and said it wasn’t a big deal. He smiled and brushed off the anti-Tebow crowd. The quarterback’s positive image and clean-cut acts was clearly visible during those three SEC media days.

This article was sponsored by StubHub. StubHub sells NCAA Football tickets, as well as many other kinds of sports tickets, concert tickets, special events tickets and theater tickets.

[tags]NCAA Football, sports, tickets, football[/tags]

What’s Notre Dame’s offensive strategy for the 2009 season? They will run a pro-style offense. The Irish use traditional sets with fullback and also use a lot of schemes with three wide receivers. And with the talented receivers the Irish have (junior Gloden Tate and sophomore Michael Floyd); their offense should be able to put up big numbers this season. Get NCAA Football tickets and see Tate and Floyd catch a pass in the back of the end zone. Tate and Floyd are future NFL players.

The latter caught 48 passes for 719 yards and seven touchdowns in 2008, setting just about every Notre Dame freshman receiving record you can imagine. The youngster put those types of numbers up despite the fact he missed two full games and most of a third due to a knee injury. Tate averages 18.9 yards per catch. He had a phenomenal game in the Hawaii Bowl, catching six passes for 177 yards and three touchdowns.

Although the Irish have 10 offensive starters returning, there will be some room for newcomers to display their talent. True freshman Shaquelle Evans has a great chance at playing time as backup receiver, while running back Cierre Wood could make an impact on special teams. Tight end Mike Ragone is not a newcomer, but he did not play much as a freshman because he was sideline with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Now that he’s healthy, Ragone will see plenty of playing time as Notre Dame’s second tight end.

Senior tackle Paul Duncan started at right tackle during a brutal 2007 season in which Notre Dame allowed an NCAA-high 58 sacks. He missed last season while recovering from hip surgery. Duncan heads into the season as the starting left tackle for the Irish. Notre Dame’s chances of playing well depends on how well Duncan can protect Quarterback Jimmy Clausen’s blindside. Notre Dame has a rich receiving corps.

Floyd and Tate are two prime examples, but let’s take a look at the other offensive weapons that surround the Irish. Duval Kamara, a 6-5 junior is a big target and can create havoc for the secondary if he gets down field. He will bounce back from a disappointing sophomore season. Bobby Parris also struggled last season, but is a key weapon for the Irish. He caught 29 passes two years ago. Notre Dame can also rely on sophomore receivers John Goodman and Deion Walker. But perhaps one of the scariest threats for Notre Dame’s opposition to cover is sophomore tight end Kyle Rudolph. The 6-6, 258 pound tight end caught 29 passes for 340 yards and two touchdowns as a true freshman.

So why has Notre Dame gone 10-15 the past two years after earning BCS bids in each of Weis’ first two seasons? Coach Weis had a ground game in his first two seasons with the Irish. But Notre Dame has not found an explosive back since Darius Walker left after the 2006 season. The Irish only averaged 2.1 yards per carry in 2007 and 3.3 yards the following year. They will have to do better than that this season if they want to be a top ten team.

This article was sponsored by StubHub. StubHub sells NCAA Football tickets, as well as many other kinds of sports tickets, concert tickets, special events tickets and theater tickets.

[tags]NCAA Football, sports, tickets, football[/tags]

The world’s most popular game has changed so much over the years that, like most sports, it is difficult to select who is the very best player of all time. But despite the changes is style of play, there have definitely been some soccer players who have stood out when it comes to excellence and to whom young generations of up and comers have looked for inspiration. Here’s a brief look at some of them.

Pele

Edson Arantes Do Nascimento is a Brazilian player who rose to glory in the soccer world using the name of Pele. A legend in the game, he is arguably the only player to whom the name “greatest player ever” might be attributed. His explosive talent, on-field charisma, and incredible skills introduced soccer to an American audience that was firmly rooted in football and Pele was the one who inspired the first group of serious Yankee soccer players.

Pele was only average sized, but he possessed blistering speed, a keen field sense, and great ball control. Additionally, he could shoot on goal powerfully with either foot and also with his head. He burst on the scene in 1958’s World Cup where, as a 17 year old, he scored an astounding six goals during that tournament. He is the only player who has won three World Cups, and several of his impressive array of records are still standing today.

Franz Beckenbauer

A contemporary of Pele’s, the German nicknamed “The Kaiser” was tall and elegant. He was a great team captain who was known for his excellent leadership skills on the field, which of course, translated into team success. He was a thinking man’s player in that he was a great tactician rather than a power player even though he was merciless in his position as a sweeper. He began his career at midfield, but his techniques are widely credited with revolutionizing the sweeper position on defense and it is this capacity that he is most remembered. He is thought by many to be the greatest German soccer player of all time, and he is the only man to have ever won a World Cup both as a player and as a manager.

David Beckham

Born in 1975, David Beckham is credited with bringing glamour to the game along with incredible skill. The glamour comes from his stunning good looks and habit of removing his shirt after a game: he is a “rock star” in his native England and can be credited with inspiring the current young generation of players. But it is unfair to focus mainly on his looks, because it is his ability that catapulted him to iconic status. He is a creative and powerful midfielder who is known for his laser-sharp passes, heart-stopping goals, and textbook free kicks. Far from being a pretty boy, he is a hard working player who has earned everything he’s gotten so far, inspiring many.

Marca Personal Inc. (http://www.marcapersonal.com/) is a international football company sell soccer footwear apparel and equipment. Art Gib is a freelance writer.

[tags]men’s soccer cleats[/tags]

Mike Shanahan’s name is among the greats in the NFL, even if he was fired by the Denver Broncos at the end of the 2008 season. He is known for his impeccable coaching style as well as his tendency to say just the right things to reporters. It is the latter skill that seems to be coming in handy lately. After Broncos owner Pat Bowlen fired him at the end of the season, many expected Shanahan to say something about the seemingly-sudden decision.

What surprised most people was how silent Shanahan was about the whole situation. Now, reports are surfacing that Shanahan may have other reasons than his reputation not to speak up-seven million reasons to be exact. A recent news article pointed out that Shanahan had two years and $14 million left on his contract, but Shanahan only gets the money if he remains positive, or at least quiet, about the Broncos.

That may explain Shanahan’s statement to NFL.com about what he thinks of new coach Josh McDaniels and his decision to get rid of quarterback Jay Cutler. Shanahan said, “I don’t think it’s my place to go into detail, but you’ve got to, like with Josh, he’s got to go with his gut feeling with what he thinks is best for the organization. I’m a big Jay Cutler fan. I like Jay. He’s got the intangibles. He hasn’t gotten it done yet, but you’ve got to have a whole football team. It’s not just one position.

Josh is probably biting at the bit to get started with Chris Simms and Kyle Orton. Hopefully they can go out and get the job done for Denver.” In the same interview, Shanahan revealed that he is planning on coaching again in the near future. Shanahan’s career 246-98 career record speaks for itself, meaning that he is likely to have many teams vying for his talents. No matter where he lands, fans can get NFL tickets online.

Mike Shanahan grew up outside of Chicago, and earned a football scholarship to Eastern Illinois University. He played quarterback there, but an unfortunate accident on the field stole one of Shanahan’s kidneys and ended his playing career. Upon graduation, he started as an assistant coach for Oklahoma in 1975. That year, the Sooners won the national championship and gave a glimpse at the future glory in store for Shanahan.

He moved to coaching Northern Arizona’s backfield in 1977, where he began to show his potential for greatness. He was back at his alma mater by 1978 as the team’s offensive coordinator. The next year, he took the same position with Minnesota. He spent the next four seasons as the offensive coordinator for the University of Florida, where he took a lackluster offense and turned it into a well-oiled machine.

In 1984, Shanahan made his entrance into the NFL as the Broncos’ wide receivers coach. After one year, he became the team’s offensive coordinator. His reputation as a top-notch coach led to him being offered the head coaching position for the Los Angeles Raiders. The notoriously fickle owner Al Davis kept Shanahan for only a little more than a season, sending him back to the Broncos as their quarterbacks coach in 1989. After three years in that position, he became the offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers. What Shanahan is most famous for, however, is his head coaching position with Denver, which started in 1995 and continued through last season. While with Denver, he brought home two Super Bowl championships for the team.

This article was sponsored by StubHub.com. StubHub sells tickets to sporting events, concerts and theater productions. Go to StubHub.com for NFL tickets.

[tags]NFL, sports, tickets, football[/tags]

After nearly two years, quarterback Michael Vick is out of federal prison, and he is itching to take the field again on an NFL team. Whether than happens and how soon depends almost entirely on the opinion of one man: NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Goodell and Vick reportedly met on Wednesday, July 22 after his release, fueling reports that Goodell had made a decision. Days later, though, the league was still waiting to see how he would deal with the misfit Vick. Goodell wouldn’t give timeline for his decision and instead just hinted it would come soon. One unnamed source told ESPN that his suspension would be somewhere between two and six games for the beginning of the season. Until that decision comes down, it is unlikely that any team would make a move toward Vick.

Vick’s incarceration came because he funded and ran an illegal dogfighting ring from his Virginian home, which was called Bad Newz Kennels. The conviction led to him forfeiting his position on the Atlanta Falcons, losing endorsements and eventually declaring bankruptcy. It isn’t just the dogfighting charges that Goodell has to take into consideration, as Vick was also known to use marijuana prior to his imprisonment. Most likely, any deal to let Vick enter the league again will include random drug testing. To his credit, Vick is doing everything he can to make sure he is reinstated in the league. He is set to start working with the Humane Society to work on an anti-dogfighting campaign. If he does get reinstated, fans will be able to get NFL tickets to see him online.

Where could Vick end up in the NFL? This question has sports analysts scrambling to compile a list. Some teams are already out. He won’t be heading to the Big Apple, as both the New York Giants and the New York Jets have made it clear upon Vick’s release that they are happy with their quarterbacks. Other teams are out because they filled their weak quarterback position through the draft or trades. There are two possibilities in the NFL for Vick: either he finds a team desperate enough to make him their number one, or he takes a backup position with a well-established quarterback to stay out of the spotlight for awhile. Many are recommending the latter so that he could slowly build himself back up. Even if that is the best choice, he may get offered more money by one of the more desperate teams. Plus, some teams, like the Oakland Raiders, aren’t afraid to take players with questionable histories.

Even if Goodell decides to make an example out of Vick and not reinstate him at all, Vick still has options. The United Football League is kicking off during the 2009 season, and those running that league know that having an established name like Michael Vick could sure boost their popularity. There is also a good chance he could make more money in the UFL than in the NFL. More than likely, Vick will be taking the field this season, he just isn’t sure where.

This article was sponsored by StubHub.com. StubHub sells tickets to sporting events, concerts and theater productions. Go to StubHub.com for NFL tickets.

[tags]NFL, sports, tickets, football[/tags]

The University of Southern California Trojans football team is set for another huge year. Guided by Pete Carroll, who is looking for his ninth straight bowl game appearance, the Trojans are ranked highly in the early preseason polls. ESPN.com’s Mark Schalbach has Southern California at the No. 4 spot in his preseason selections.

The Sporting News also ranks USC as the No. 4 team in the nation, behind just Florida, Texas and Oklahoma State. While Carroll will trot out a relatively inexperienced quarterback this year, the team looks solid as a whole and the Pac-10 has been a cake walk for the Trojans in recent years. This is definitely a good year to look for UCS Trojans football tickets online. Who wouldn’t want to see this team on the road to another Rose Bowl? Here are the top five regular season games to see this season.

USC vs. San Jose State @ USC - The Trojans plan to give the fans who come out to their home opener something to cheer about. Don’t expect any letdowns in this one. Last season the Trojans played Virginia, a much tougher school, on the road for their home opener and they delivered a 52-7 beating of the Cavaliers. The year before that the Trojans beat Idaho 38-10 for the home opener, and the year before that the home opening crowd saw the Trojans beat Arkansas 50-14. Don’t bet on the Spartans to beat the Trojans in the battle for ancient Mediterranean supremacy.

USC vs. Ohio State @ Ohio State - Speaking of history, the Trojans beat the Ohio State Buckeyes 35-3 last year. While it will be much harder to win on the road this time around, the game still ought to be a sight to behold for USC fans. Expect a fight to the finish and a good time at the notoriously loud Ohio Stadium.

USC vs. Notre Dame @ Notre Dame - Travel to South Bend, Indiana in the dead of winter to see the Trojans take on one of their most celebrated historical rivals, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The Irish are actually fielding a competitive team this season, and they’ve been spotted on some early preseason top 25 lists. The past couple of matchups between these teams have not been competitive, with USC winning handily, but this one could be a tougher battle.

USC vs. Oregon State @ USC - Last year the Trojans lost to Oregon State on the road in the third game of the season, effectively ruining a shot at an undefeated season and a trip to the BCS Championship. Hopefully you haven’t forgotten. Players, fans and coaches will be looking for revenge when the Beavers come to Southern California.

USC vs. UCLA @ USC - The second to last game of the regular season, USC-UCLA is going to be a fantastic treat for sports fans in the L.A. area. While most experts believe that the Trojans have the overwhelming advantage here, this series can sometimes see upsets, such as in 2006 when UCLA won 13-9. Take nothing for granted, especially the Lexus Gauntlet.

This article about UCS Trojans football tickets was written by Brent Warnken in association with StubHub, a leader in the sports tickets, concert tickets, theatre tickets and special events tickets market.

[tags]USC Trojans, football, sports, tickets, college[/tags]