Sanchez’s performance sure to be picked apart

EUGENE, Ore. -- The intrigue surrounding USC’s quarterback situation will be revived as the Trojans try to move past Saturday’s 24-17 loss to Oregon.

Sophomore Mark Sanchez had two passes intercepted for the second time in three games since replacing injured senior John David Booty. One led to an Oregon touchdown and the other sealed the Ducks’ victory.

“There’s no excuse for picks like that,” Sanchez said. “It kills the team. That let the other 10 guys on the field down and the other 11 on defense down. . . . It’s tough. A bad feeling.”

Sanchez, though, had his moments.

He completed 26 of 41 passes for 277 yards, including touchdown passes to Patrick Turner and David Ausberry. He said the record crowd of 59,277 at Autzen Stadium did not rattle him.

“You saw us moving the ball, we did well and did a good job in an adverse situation,” he said. “I just can’t take this team out of ballgames.”

Afterward, Booty said his broken right middle finger felt better and that he was eager to return to the lineup.

“It’s so hard to watch from the sideline,” he said. “But if I’m not healthy, they’re not going to put me out there. I’m going to bust in practice and try to show them all week long that I am ready to go.”

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A key play in the game occurred early in the first quarter after USC recovered a fumble on the opening kickoff deep in Oregon territory.

On fourth and one from the 12, Sanchez took the snap with an empty backfield and then handed off to freshman running back Joe McKnight, who was in motion from left to right.

McKnight tried to turn upfield, but linebacker John Bacon dropped him for a one-yard loss, the seventh consecutive time Oregon foiled an opponent on fourth down.

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Turner, who has struggled this season, made seven catches for a season-high 107 yards.

The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Turner outmuscled 5-11 cornerback Willie Glasper for a nine-yard touchdown reception that tied the score, 10-10, early in the third quarter.

“I felt good out there -- Mark put the ball in good spots,” Turner said. “I feel like I did a good job but I’d still rather have a win.”

Vidal Hazelton caught eight passes for 88 yards.

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All-American offensive tackle Sam Baker, who had missed most of USC’s previous two games because of a hamstring injury, left the game in the second half because of a hip injury.

Baker said playing with the sore hamstring “got my hip crooked.” He said he hoped to play in the next game against Oregon State.

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Oregon coaches and players suspected things might be going their way when, in the third quarter, quarterback Dennis Dixon scrambled to his right, found nowhere to run, and abruptly pitched the ball to offensive tackle Geoff Schwartz.

Schwartz ran for three yards.

Dixon explained that he saw a dark jersey out of the corner of his eye and figured he couldn’t go wrong. Coach Mike Bellotti deadpanned that he might feature the 6-7, 337-pound lineman in next week’s game plan.

“I like Schwartz’s ability in the open field,” he said.

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Last season at the Coliseum, USC defeated an Oregon team that squandered two early chances to score. On Saturday in Eugene, the tables were turned.

After fumbling the opening kickoff, the Ducks stopped USC on fourth-and-one at the 12-yard line. In the second quarter, they fumbled a punt deep in their own territory but held the Trojans to a field goal.

“This was a defensive victory,” Bellotti said, adding: “I think our defense got worn down last year, and this year we got better as the game wore on.”

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gary.klein@latimes.com

david.wharton@latimes.com