NO. 4 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 23 NO. 17 CALIFORNIA 9
Trojans? aspirations rosier than Pasadena
USC clinches Pac-10, eyes national title game
Sunday, November 19, 2006
John Nadel
ASSOCIATED PRESS
LOS ANGELES ? Pete Carroll would love to lead his team into the national championship game for a third straight year. Right now, though, he?s content to celebrate No. 4 Southern California?s fifth consecutive Pacific 10 Conference championship.
"It?s a statement of what we?re all about, who we are, and it really makes you feel good," Carroll said after the Trojans rallied to beat No. 17 California 23-9 last night to clinch a berth in the Rose Bowl.
John David Booty passed for 238 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns, and the USC defense shut down California in the second half as the Trojans became the first team to win five straight Pac-10 football titles.
"I?m just proud of this moment. Just that thought is really strong in my heart about what we?ve done here," Carroll said. "I?m filled with that thought.
"We really had a lot of issues in this game. The second half, the defense shut ?em out, shut ?em down. The offense finds a way to make some timely plays. You work so hard to be good in these moments ? the guys did it."
USC also took another step toward a possible berth in the Fiesta Bowl against No. 1 Ohio State, a 42-39 winner over No. 2 Michigan.
"Wherever they put us, they put us," Carroll said. "We play a great schedule, that?s all I know. I?ll be the last guy to campaign for us."
The Trojans (9-1, 7-1) need to beat No. 6 Notre Dame and crosstown rival UCLA to have a shot at playing in the national title game, although Michigan?s performance against Ohio State might have been enough to get the Wolverines in.
"We showed we can handle big-time situations," USC defensive end Lawrence Jackson said. "The Pac-10 title was on the line. There was a lot riding on this game, and you can?t expect to blow out a good team like Cal."
The Golden Bears (8-3, 6-2) were shooting for their first Rose Bowl berth in 48 years, but with speedy DeSean Jackson and Pac-10 rushing leader Marshawn Lynch mostly held in check, they couldn?t get the job done.
"I think they?re hitting their stride," Cal coach Jeff Tedford said of the Trojans. "You have to play your best against them, there?s no room for mistakes. They didn?t turn the football over and we did."
Cal led 9-6 before USC scored on three straight possessions to take command.
"We had chances the whole first half," Booty said. "I knew it was just a matter of time. They weren?t really stopping us; it was us. You?re on the sidelines and you get the offense together and say, ?This is what we are here for.? It?s what we dream of to play in this situation."
The win was USC?s 32 nd straight in Los Angeles Coliseum, where a crowd of 91,672 watched anxiously until the Trojans broke the game open in the fourth quarter. The Trojans are 19-0 in November in Carroll?s six seasons.
Booty?s 25-yard touchdown pass to Dwayne Jarrett with 13:01 left capped a seven-play, 78-yard drive and snapped a 9-9 tie. Booty?s 13-yard pass to Jarrett on third-and-9 from the USC 34 kept the drive alive, and C.J. Gable turned a short pass reception into a 35-yard gain two plays before the touchdown. Booty threw a 37-yard scoring pass to Steve Smith on a fourth-and-2 play with 8:23 left to cap a 56-yard drive and complete the scoring.
