51 days is too long. I think USC gets an advantage by playing deeper into the season.
Whether or not that is enough of an advantage, I don't know. But I can't see that it helps to have a huge layoff between games.
I don't think it will hurt too much.
At least, historically under Tressel the long layoffs haven't hurt.
2002, 2003 and last year all had 40+ day layoffs. Just ask Notre Dame :-)
It allows the center, Datish, to have his hand heal up. The 2nd fumble against Michigan (the one that rolled along the ground) was because he has an injury on the hand he snaps the ball with.
That's a month and a half.
Way tooooooo long a layoff between any full pad contact of significance.