Idaho senior defensive end Quinton Bradley is good enough to play on Sundays, Vandal football coach Paul Petrino said earlier this week.

If so, Saturday's game at eighth-ranked USC (1-0) could be a showcase for the 6-foot-3, 259-pound disruptive force on the Idaho defensive line.

"I think it's a huge game for Quinton Bradley," Petrino said Tuesday, in his weekly briefing with area reporters. "This is the game people are going to want to see him play, see how he does against them. He should be real fired up, to see what he can do against this level."

Bradley had two sacks and two tackles for loss, and was one of the few defensive bright spots in Idaho's season-opening 45-28 loss to Ohio at the Kibbie Dome.

California dreamin': A quick glance at the Idaho roster shows 20 players from California. It will be the second time in two seasons the Vandals played a game in southern California -- Idaho played at San Diego State last year.

"We've got a lot of kids from California that grew up probably wanting to play in this stadium (the Los Angeles Coliseum) ... so let's go do it," Petrino said.

Play for pay: Idaho is getting $1.1 million for playing at USC this week, and $1 million for playing at Auburn on Nov. 21.

"I just think it's something you have to do," Petrino said of lower-budget programs like Idaho playing "money" games. He also said it can't hurt "when you're recruiting in California, to be able to tell a kid he's going to play in the Coliseum some time. You're going to play in one or two of those (money games) a year; I think it's exciting for our players to play in those venues."

Notes: Idaho backup quarterback Jake Luton, a redshirt freshman, will "probably" see his first college playing time on Saturday, Petrino said.

I wanted to make sure it happened in the first or second game," he said. "He needs to get experience." ... Quarterback Matt Linehan's speedy scrambles vs. Ohio were not an optical illusion. Petrino said the redshirt sophomore has improved his 40-yard-dash speed from 4.85 to 4.75. "He made himself bigger and faster this offseason," Petrino said of the 6-3, 214-pound Linehan. ... David Ungerer, a sophomore wideout from Pullman High, suffered a stress fracture in his foot early in the Ohio game. Petrino said that injury is usually "a four- to six-week deal," but suggested if the injury lingered longer than that, redshirting might be an option. ... Idaho sophomore starting free safety Armond Hawkins is the brother of USC starting free safety Chris Hawkins, a redshirt sophomore.