Trojans Almost Too Good for Words : College football: Otton is sharp again in 61-0 victory over Cal, keeping USC’s Rose Bowl hopes alive.

California Coach Keith Gilbertson, who had just found himself on the wrong end of a 61-0 football game, said more or less what everyone else did Saturday night at the Coliseum.

“I don’t know what to say,” he said.

No one else did, either, Coach.

Even John Robinson groped uncharacteristically for words. He was the big winner, but he could only shrug and say: “I feel sorry for Cal--it was one of those nights when everything went wrong for them.”

After Saturday’s victory before 55,213, the Trojans’ third in a row, Robinson said he believes some new energy has gripped his team.

“Something is happening with this team, and I want to get it back on the practice field and hold on to it,” he said.

USC (5-2 and 4-1 in the Pacifi 10) has a bye week coming up, then plays at Washington State Nov. 5, hosts Arizona Nov. 12 and meets UCLA Nov. 19 at the Rose Bowl.

Robinson said Saturday he would just as soon skip the bye, and small wonder.

And to reach the Rose Bowl, the victors agreed they have to win them all, noting that Oregon had beaten Washington, 31-20. The Ducks also have only one Pac-10 loss and own a victory over the Trojans.

“After this, there’s no doubt in my mind we can win the rest of them, but I’m not going to waste time worrying about what Oregon’s going to to,” USC offensive tackle Tony Boselli said. The Trojans, behind quarterback Brad Otton, filling in again for injured Rob Johnson, ran to a 35-0 halftime lead, employed kicker Cole Ford’s kickoffs to keep Cal in poor field position all game and ran up a victory margin of historic dimensions.

It was:

--The most points scored by USC since a 66-10 victory over Utah State in 1989.

--The widest winning margin since a 63-0 victory over Oregon State in 1985.

--USC’s first shutout since a 19-0 victory over Stanford in 1989.

--The most points given up by Cal since a 61-21 loss to UCLA in 1973.

And to think all week Robinson fretted that his defense had surrendered touchdowns to every opponent this year on first or second possessions.

Cal not only didn’t score on its first or second drive, it went 0 for 13.

Was this a team that took a major step up in quality or of a team hitting rock bottom?

“USC is awfully good,” Gilbertson said. “They’re improving every week, and they’re certainly athletic.”

USC caught a break in the first second of the game and never looked back. The Cal kicker, Ryan Longwell, fell down on the opening kickoff, got off a poor kick, and USC was in business at its own 44.

It became clear at the outset that Cal was overplaying USC’s run game, mindful no doubt of tailback Shawn Walters’ 234-yard game at Stanford last week. Walters gained only four yards on the first two plays, but on third and six, Otton connected with Keyshawn Johnson (four catches for 110 yards) on a 41-yard play to Cal’s 11.

Walters was stymied twice more, but Otton found fullback Terry Barnum all alone in the end zone for an easy touchdown after only 2:44.

Then, 5-foot-8 senior cornerback Jerald Henry contributed a big play. He and Sammy Knight blocked a Bear field-goal try on Cal’s second drive and Henry picked the ball up and scooted 60 yards for a touchdown.

By now, Gilbertson could see what kind of game was unfolding.

“It started with that opening kickoff,” he said. “Our kicker falls down, then we get a kick blocked and they run it back. Then a punt hits our guy in the back, and we lose that ball.

“It was one thing after another.”

It got much worse for Cal. Robinson’s third- and fourth-stringers put two touchdowns on the board in the fourth quarter, when No. 3 quarterback Matt Koffler was running the offense. The Trojans didn’t need a running first down until the third quarter.

USC stuttered only briefly at the outset, when it was clear Cal would try to stop Walters (76 yards in 15 carries) at almost any cost.

“They were lining up with nine guys up front, all in the box, but I knew that meant they couldn’t stop our passing game,” Boselli said.

Said USC offensive line coach Mike Barry: “We ran on them pretty good up there last year (in a 42-14 Trojan victory), and we knew he’d (Gilbertson) commit heavy to the run.

“We changed some blocking schemes and got some creases.”

Otton, who completed 15 of 20 passes for 196 yards and two touchdowns, was a laid-back winner.

“I don’t even remember the first half.” he said. “It seems like a day ago.

“We’re a lot more confident now. . . . I can see it in the huddle, the spark in our eyes. And scoring 60 points doesn’t hurt, either. I’m just playing and having fun.”

And he said he’s still a sub.

“This is still Rob’s show,” Otton said. “I’m playing for him and having fun.”

Johnson, who has had two ankle sprains the past month, hopes to be back for Washington State.

Once again, it was a big-play defensive game for USC. USC sacked Cal quarterbacks four times, and linebacker Brian Williams had two of them. Six passes and two field goals were blocked.

USC has now played three turnover-free games in a row.

Craig Fertig, the 1960s Trojan quarterback and now a team broadcaster, was impressed.

“I’ve been around here a long time and I’ve never seen anything like that,” he said afterward. “The efficiency . . . it’s the best game I’ve ever seen an SC team play.”

Well, he might be overlooking that 55-24 comeback victory over Notre Dame in 1974, but we’ll cut him a little slack.

USC’s Biggest Blowouts

Largest USC victories since 1965.

Date Opponent Score Oct. 5, 1985 Oregon St. 63-0 Oct. 22, 1994 California 61-0 Oct. 23, 1976 Oregon St. 56-0 Sept. 16, 1989 Utah St. 66-10 Oct. 2, 1976 Iowa 55-0 Sept. 18, 1976 Oregon 53-0 Nov. 1, 1980 California 60-7 Sept. 24, 1977 TCU 51-0 Nov. 12, 1988 Arizona St. 50-0 Nov. 27, 1965 Wyoming 56-6