Trojans Big for Cougars : USC: Unbeaten Washington State can accomplish many firsts with a victory at Coliseum today.

It happens occasionally, but Washington State doesn’t often defeat USC in football.

The Cougars have won five times in 52 games, only twice since 1934.

They haven’t defeated USC at the Coliseum since 1957, which was long before any of their current players--and some of their assistant coaches--were born.

And Coach Mike Price?

“I was probably doing some serious rock ‘n’ rollin’ (in 1957),” said Price, who was born in 1946.

He and his players will do some serious partying if they can ruin USC’s homecoming today.

“If the game goes as planned, this place is going to be pretty crazy Saturday night when we get back,” Price’s son, Aaron, the Cougars’ kicker, said this week from Pullman, Wash. “I think it might turn upside down.”

The Cougars are 6-0 for the first time since 1930, when they were 9-0 before losing to Alabama in their last Rose Bowl appearance.

They are ranked 13th, their highest ranking since 1958.

They are 3-0 in conference play for the first time since 1942.

Led by quarterback Drew Bledsoe, who has completed 53.1% of his 226 passes for 1,576 yards and 11 touchdowns, Washington State leads the Pacific 10 Conference with averages of 451.8 yards, 26.2 first downs and 33.8 points.

Bledsoe leads the Pac-10 in total offense. Shaumbe Wright-Fair is second in the conference in rushing, averaging 115 yards. C.J. Davis and Phillip Bobo are 2-3 in the Pac-10 in receptions.

And the Cougar defense, which includes only two senior starters, is 11th in the nation against the run, 13th overall. After giving up an average of 441.5 yards last season and ranking last in the Pac-10 in total defense, Washington State has yielded only 280.3 this season.

“We’re excited about our defense,” Price said. “This is the first time I’ve been at Martin Stadium and heard our crowd chanting, ‘Defense! Defense!’ We’re lots of fun to watch. We’re exciting.”

Not so exciting is the Cougars’ woeful history against USC.

This is the 21st time they have gone into the USC game unbeaten, and they have won only two of the previous 20 meetings.

They have gone into the USC game ranked in the Associated Press poll only three times previously, and lost all three times.

And the Cougars, 30-17 winners over UCLA last Saturday, have never beaten USC and UCLA during the same season.

Still, they have a 6-0 record.

“I think we’ve got their attention,” Price said of the Trojans.

USC’s 34-27 victory over Washington State last season wasn’t secured until cornerback Jason Oliver intercepted a pass by Bledsoe at USC’s three-yard line with 17 seconds to play.

But, as is Washington State, USC is dramatically improved over last season, when the Trojans were 3-8 and Washington State was 4-7.

While waiting for its running game to develop--the Trojans are last in the Pac-10 in rushing--USC has relied on the passing of quarterback Rob Johnson, who has nine touchdown passes, and a defense that is ninth in the nation against the run and 10th overall.

Also, the Trojans (3-1-1, 2-1) are more resilient than they were last season. They defeated both Oklahoma and California with fourth-quarter comebacks.

During a 27-24 victory over Cal last week, they overcame an 11-point deficit by scoring two touchdowns in the last 5:45.

“Any time you win a game like that, it’s a great spirit builder,” Coach Larry Smith said. “It gives you a tremendous amount of confidence, and lets you know that as long as you hang in and fight toe to toe, anything can happen.

“You can’t plan on pulling them out like that all the time, but after a team does that a few times, they believe in themselves in that situation and they’re going to find a way to make things happen.”

Considering its history against USC, Washington State should take heart.

Trojan Notes

USC is 43-5-4 against Washington State, 32-3-2 in Los Angeles. . . . USC is 16-2-2 against Washington State teams that came into the game unbeaten. . . . USC linebacker Lamont Hollinquest, who suffered a pinched nerve in his neck during last week’s game against Cal, is expected to sit out. . . . Former USC pitcher Tom Seaver, the first former Trojan inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame, will be honored during a pregame ceremony. . . . Quincy Watts, who won two gold medals at the Barcelona Olympics, will be honored at halftime along with USC’s other 1992 Olympians.