USC FOOTBALL WATCH : AN INSIDE LOOK

A look back: The Trojans have reached one preseason goal, a third straight Rose Bowl berth, but they may have missed another by just five points. Their two losses (14-13 to Illinois in their opener and 28-24 to Notre Dame) have cost them a shot at a national championship.

That was on the mind of defensive lineman Tim Ryan Saturday, amid the joy of the victorious USC locker room in Arizona.

“We should have won the Illinois game,” he said, “but if you’re going to lose, it might as well be the first one. I’ve thought about the fact we wound up just five points away. It’s not the first time I’ve just missed a championship. It’s part of the sport. It hurts, but you’ve got to go on.”

A look ahead: With Gatorade residue still sticking to his hair from Saturday’s postgame celebration, Trojan Coach Larry Smith threw out the first cliches for this week’s USC-UCLA game.

“It’s always a big game,” he said. “A super game. In this one, your previous accomplishments go out the window and you just play like heck.”

Playing hurt: Arizona’s top rusher Saturday was fullback Mario Hampton, who gained 62 yards in only nine carries despite a broken hand.