USC Gets Chance to Test the Best : Football: Trojans take on No. 1-ranked Washington at Seattle.

USC showed against Oklahoma two weeks ago that it is capable of defeating a highly ranked opponent.

But can it beat the highest ranked team?

The Trojans will find out today, when they play No. 1-rated Washington in a nationally televised game at Husky Stadium.

USC is 1-0-1 after defeating Oklahoma at Norman, Okla., 20-10, to end a seven-game winless streak. The Trojans tied San Diego State in their opener, 31-31.

Washington, hoping to become the first team to win three consecutive Rose Bowl games, is 3-0 after defeating Arizona State, Wisconsin and Nebraska.

Like the Trojans, the Huskies were idle last weekend, but Washington moved to the top of the polls after Miami struggled to defeat unranked Arizona, 8-7.

It has been suggested, however, that Washington isn’t nearly as strong as it was last season, when it was 12-0, defeated Pacific 10 opponents by an average of more than 30 points, overwhelmed Michigan in the Rose Bowl and shared its first national championship with Miami.

One of those making that suggestion is Husky Coach Don James.

“This team has done well, don’t get me wrong,” he said. “I’m real pleased with what we’ve done. But I don’t think we’re even close to where we were a year ago.”

James would like to be No. 1 again, of course, but not now.

“This is not a good time to be up there,” he said, suggesting that opponents who have been humbled by Washington during the last two seasons don’t need added incentive.

“You like to be up there in the top five someplace because it puts you in position to get to the top rung, but I don’t think there are too many coaches who enjoy being rated No. 1.”

Especially those who lost 11 players in the NFL draft.

Two of the departed Huskies, split end Mario Bailey and defensive tackle Steve Emtman, were the Pac-10’s offensive and defensive players of the year last season.

Without Emtman, Washington has not been nearly as strong against the run, giving up an average of 180.3 yards and ranking last in the Pac-10. Last season, the Huskies gave up an average of only 67.1 yards rushing and ranked second in the nation.

On the other hand, the Huskies have won 17 consecutive games, the nation’s second-longest winning streak. They haven’t lost since Nov. 10, 1990, when they were upset by UCLA at Seattle, 25-22.

Two of their quarterbacks, junior starter Billy Joe Hobert and senior backup Mark Brunell, are former Rose Bowl players of the game.

Hobert is 15-0 as a starter.

Senior tailback Beno Bryant is one of the top all-purpose runners in school history. Sophomore tailback Napoleon Kaufman is averaging 10.4 yards per carry.

Offensive tackle Lincoln Kennedy might be the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft next spring.

And, despite their problems against the run, the Huskies are fifth in the nation against the pass and 17th in total defense. Their linebackers and secondary are considered among the best in the nation.

They have given up only 31 points.

USC hasn’t scored a touchdown against the Huskies since 1989, losing at Seattle two years ago, 31-0, and at the Coliseum last season, 14-3.

“We owe them,” said David Webb, Trojan defensive tackle.

“Compared to last year, I think we’re pretty confident about the way everything is going. We might have left a little doubt in the San Diego State game, but we showed what we have in the Oklahoma game.

“We’re confident, but at the same time, we’re very hungry.”

Two years ago, when USC last played at Husky Stadium, the Trojans were riding a 20-game unbeaten streak against Pac-10 opponents and Washington had yet to establish itself as a power.

Washington romped, and the teams switched roles.

A Trojan victory today could precipitate another reversal of these teams’ fortunes.

“It seems like the whole season’s (riding) on this game,” Trojan split end Johnnie Morton said. “We get a chance to beat the No. 1 team in the nation and kind of show people that we’re back and that we still play football at USC.”

Trojan Notes

USC split end Johnnie Morton, still bothered by an ankle injury suffered during the Oklahoma game, did not make the trip. He will be replaced by Larry Wallace. . . . A 30% chance of rain is forecast. . . . Said USC Coach Larry Smith, whose team was overwhelmed by the noise in Husky Stadium two years ago: “We’ve worked hard to maintain our poise, particularly (with) our quarterback and our offensive line.” . . . USC is ranked 20th.