High-stakes game appeals to Booty

Quarterback John David Booty showed he could handle expectations by playing well in his first start at Arkansas.

The fourth-year junior demonstrated that he could rally the Trojans by nearly leading them back from a 23-point deficit at Oregon State.

But Booty said Thursday that his biggest challenge would come on Saturday when fourth-ranked USC plays 17th-ranked California for the Pacific 10 Conference title.

“I really look forward to this situation,” Booty said after practice. “I’ve been in big games. This is kind of my first one that’s really for something.”

A USC victory would keep alive the Trojans’ hopes for a berth in the Bowl Championship Series title game. USC is third in the BCS standings behind No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Michigan, which play on Saturday at Columbus, Ohio.

“I try to not get too worked up over this stuff -- it is just football,” said Booty, who has passed for 20 touchdowns with six interceptions. “It’s just another chance for me to go out and do something I love.

“Playing in front of 90-something thousand and everyone wearing cardinal. Obviously, it’s a big game with what’s riding on it, but I just try to think of it as a game.”

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Tailback Chauncey Washington took a few repetitions, but said he felt awkward in his knee brace and would replace it.

Washington, who suffered a knee sprain last Saturday against Oregon, reiterated he would play against Cal.

“I need to get a new brace,” he said. “It doesn’t hurt. It just feels awkward. I have to wear one.”

With freshman Emmanuel Moody sidelined because of an ankle injury, freshmen C.J. Gable, Stafon Johnson and Allen Bradford continued to take repetitions in Washington’s place.

“You just have to be ready,” Johnson said. “I haven’t sweated like that in two weeks. It feels good.”

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School officials said USC compliance officials found no violations after completing interviews with players regarding recruiting dinners that took place at Papadakis Taverna in San Pedro.

The dinners had come under scrutiny for possible NCAA violations last December when the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that restaurant owner John Papadakis, a former USC football player, made impassioned speeches to potential recruits.

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Defensive end Lawrence Jackson (back spasms) returned to practice and said he would play. ... Defensive lineman Chris Barrett remains hobbled by a calf-muscle strain. ... Freshman fullback Stanley Havili, who suffered a broken leg Sept. 23 against Arizona, had hoped to play next week against Notre Dame but is now on track to redshirt. “It’s pretty obvious now,” Carroll said. ... Injured fullback Brandon Hancock, a former Pac-10 All-Academic team selection, on USC’s having only one player, linebacker Clay Matthews Jr., selected to this year’s second team: “When you lose the Tings and Hancock it basically equates to losing a Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush on offense. I thought we would be flexing a little bit more mental muscle than we are.” Twins Brandon and Ryan Ting, who were All-Academic team selections last year, would have been seniors, but they left the program before the season started.

gary.klein@latimes.com