BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — The numbers alone must be enough to make the guys playing defense in the Rose Bowl shudder.

Imagine a 51-50 national title game. If Texas and Southern California hit their averages, that will be the final score Wednesday night in Pasadena.

And if they stick to their norms, Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart, Vince Young and the rest of the Trojans and Longhorns would produce nearly 1,100 yards.

Pity the poor defenses?

Not quite.

While the Trojans say the injuries and inexperience that hampered their defense in 2005 are behind them, the Longhorns are stoked about trying to stop the unstoppable USC machine.

"I see it as a good challenge," Texas safety Michael Huff said. "They have two Heisman winners in the backfield and All-Americans at receiver and tight end and running back. They definitely have a great offense and I look forward to the challenge."

The Longhorns' defense has been remade in the past two seasons, shedding its image as athletically gifted but short on grit.

It started last season when coach Mack Brown brought in Greg Robinson and Dick Tomey to take over the defense and infuse a more aggressive attitude.

When both Robinson and Tomey left to become head coaches after last season, Brown brought in Gene Chizik, who guided Auburn's defense to a perfect season a year ago but didn't get a crack at USC. He has a personal 27-game winning streak heading into the Rose Bowl.

Under Chizik the Longhorns bring more pressure, upping their sacks to 32 this season, 10 more than 2004.

The Longhorns rank sixth in the country in total defense (280 yards per game) and fourth (14.6) in scoring defense. They have All-America safety Michael Huff patrolling the secondary and All-America defensive tackle Rod Wright holding down the line.

In between, middle linebacker Aaron Harris plays sideline-to-sideline.

Young and the offense get most of the publicity, but the Heisman runner-up says Texas is the nation's highest-scoring team at 50.9 points per game because everybody contributes.

"They're not getting any pub," Young said about the defense. "It runs me hot a little that they don't say anything about our defense."

Here's something to cool you down, Vince: USC co-offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin called Texas' defense by far the best the Trojans have faced this season.

"In the five years I've been here, probably the best defense (we've faced) right there with Oklahoma last year. Extremely fast, and on film people have not had very much success with them," Kiffin said. "We'll try to find a way to make a couple of first downs."

Like they did against Oklahoma? Remember, Trojans 55, Sooners 19 in the Orange Bowl last season.

The Sooners' secondary was a glaring weakness going into that game. The Longhorns don't have a similar open wound for USC to attack, though their run defense is only ranked 30th, allowing 124 yards per game.

With Leinart and Bush leading the onslaught, the Trojans are averaging 580 yards per game — 264 on the ground and 316 through the air.

"They don't do that by accident," Texas linebacker Robert Killebrew said. "But at the same time you have to be confident and know that your ability to play the game is what got you here, and that's what we're going to try to do, just play our game."

USC's defensive game wasn't up to recent standards this season, and it was a rebuilding year on that side of the ball for head coach Pete Carroll.

All-America safety Darnell Bing and defensive ends Lawrence Jackson and Frostee Rucker were being counted on to lead the next wave of defenders.

"When we look at those guys we see speed," Texas offensive coordinator Greg Davis said.

But injuries made USC's already young linebacking crew more inexperienced and the secondary needed an in-season makeover after being exploited by Arizona State and Notre Dame.

Backup safety Josh Pinkard was moved to corner, and freshman linebackers Ray Maualuga and Brian Cushing were forced into action.

"We had a lot of obstacles this year," Rucker said. "We had a lot of guys go down. A lot of guys had to step up. Coach Carroll did a great job of getting them ready."

Things seemed to be coming along when Fresno State scored 42 points on the Trojans, but they bounced back with their best game of the season, shutting down potent UCLA in a 66-19 victory to end the season.

"I think the big thing is that it wasn't a lack of effort that was part of our problem," safety Scott Ware said. "It was young kids coming in not necessarily knowing everything. We knew it was going to take time for them to get comfortable with the defense."

The Trojans rank just 39th in total defense (344 yards per game), but they're No. 1 in what Carroll considers the most important category: USC has 37 takeaways.

Now they have to contend with Young and the read option.

"It comes down to discipline and technique," Jackson said.

See, there's nothing to be afraid of.