Morton Makes It Look Easy : Trojans: He catches three touchdown passes and becomes USC’s all-time leader in receptions in a 34-9 victory over Oregon State.

Thanks to three more touchdown catches in another record-breaking game by Johnnie Morton, USC finally broke the .500 barrier Saturday and beat Oregon State, 34-9, before 44,363 at the Coliseum.

The Trojans have won two games in a row for the first time this season and improved to 3-1 in the Pacific 10 Conference and 4-3 overall, going into next Saturday’s game at Notre Dame.

And Notre Dame was a major topic of conversation after Saturday’s game.

“Notre Dame . . . is that the private school in the Midwest?” USC Coach John Robinson said, grinning.

“Of course we’re looking forward to it. There’s nothing I’d sooner do than play Notre Dame back there.”

Topic No. 2: Johnnie Morton. He scored the 16th, 17th and 18th touchdowns of his career.

In a game during which he became USC’s all-time leader in receptions, Morton caught passes from Rob Johnson for touchdowns of 23, 49 and 37 yards. And unlike previous games in which Morton needed acrobatic leaps over defenders, he made all three look easy Saturday.

Morton simply ran beyond Oregon State’s coverage, making the catches untouched.

The first gave USC a 12-6 lead in the second quarter, and his next two led to a 27-6 Trojan lead.

The public address announcer had no sooner informed the Coliseum crowd that Morton had just broken the Pac-10 career reception yardage record than Morton caught the 37-yarder from Johnson to give the Trojans, after Mike Salmon’s extra point, the 27-6 lead.

It was the second time this season Morton has had a three-touchdown game, the fourth time in his career.

That play came with 2:25 left in the third quarter.

The Beavers bounced back with an 18-play, 59-yard drive that resulted in a field goal, but the outcome was seemingly assured.

Robinson used his substitutes in the fourth quarter, and backup quarterback Kyle Wachholtz took USC 75 yards in eight plays for the final touchdown, a third-and-10, 13-yard pass play to DelVaughn Alexander.

USC’s defensive unit didn’t shut down Oregon State’s wishbone running game, getting burned on maybe a half-dozen plays, but the damage was relatively light.

Oregon State had gained 1,086 rushing yards in its previous two games but had only 223 Saturday. The Trojans passed for 306 yards, while completely shutting the Beavers down in the air.

Johnson, playing only three quarters, completed 12 of 19 passes for 196 yards and three touchdowns. Wachholtz was seven of nine for 110 yards and a touchdown.

Morton, the 6-foot, 190-pound senior wide receiver from Torrance, had another All-American game. He caught seven passes for 157 yards.

If it seemed as though he could do whatever he wanted to against the defense, that’s what it seemed like to him, too.

“I felt I could beat them on every play, once we got our run game established,” he said. “I had to be patient early, while the running game got started. Once it did, it brought their safeties up close and that made it easier for me.”

Said USC wide receiver coach Mike Sanford: “I’ve been with Johnnie for five years now, and if there’s another receiver anywhere in the country better than he is, I’d be shocked. He can beat double coverage, zone or any kind of man coverage.

“He got double coverage a couple of times tonight and beat it. He’s something special.”

Said Robinson: “Johnnie’s one of the best (receivers) I’ve ever been around. And Rob did a great job getting the ball to him. I love Johnnie’s integrity, the way he works. He has unusual talent and he gets the most out of it.”

Morton was asked what kind of coverage he’ll see at South Bend next Saturday.

“It’s got to where I expect double coverage every week,” he said. “We’ll be ready.”

USC’s new starting tailback, freshman Shawn Walters, had another strong game: 84 yards in 18 carries.

Johnson and Wachholtz completed passes to 10 receivers.

Senior safety Reggie Perry, a defensive standout Saturday, promised his team will be ready to play at Notre Dame.

“You can throw out all the rankings, we’ll just go on the field and play them,” he said. “We can get up any day of the week, any month of the year to play Notre Dame.”

Morton, who has 167 career catches, needed 115 yards to pass Stanford’s Ken Margerum (2,517 yards) for the Pac-10 career yardage mark. He now has 2,560.

Morton entered the game No. 1 in the Pac-10 and No. 2 in the nation with 7.8 catches per game.

USC scored on its first series, an 18-play, 86-yard drive that took most of the first quarter. Salmon missed the point-after attempt and the Trojans had a 6-0 lead.

The Beavers (1-3, 3-4) tied the score, 6-6, after J.J. Young fooled the USC secondary on a 37-yard run to the Trojan eight-yard line. Sedrick Thomas scored on a five-yard run. Oregon State kicker Tim Kollas’ conversion kick went under the crossbar.

USC’s go-ahead score was the 23-yard Johnson-to-Morton play, which tied John Jackson’s USC career catch record (at 163).

The half ended at 13-6, but Johnson and Morton struck quickly to start the third quarter. After a 34-yard punt return by Ken Grace, Walters ran nine yards to Oregon State’s 49.

Then Johnson hit Morton for a 49-yarder and a 20-6 lead.

USC resumes Pac-10 play at California Oct. 30.