COLLEGE FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : USC : Trojans Might Get Sugar Bowl Berth

USC could wind up in the Sugar Bowl with victories over UCLA and Notre Dame, The New Orleans Times-Picayune reported.

The Trojans have won five in a row and would finish 9-2 with victories in their final two games.

Monday, the Times-Picayune quoted Sugar Bowl President Chuck Zatarain as saying: “A Pac-10 co-champion might be very attractive for us. My intent is to attend both of USC’s last two games.”

That scenario assumes Oregon beats Oregon State on Saturday, clinching a Rose Bowl bid. If Oregon loses and USC wins, the Trojans go to the Rose Bowl.

USC’s Sugar Bowl opponent would be the winner of the Southeastern Conference championship game Dec. 3 between Florida and Alabama.

*

USC partisans can take heart in this statistic: UCLA ranks last in the Pacific 10 Conference in rushing defense, giving up an average of 218 yards a game.

And USC’s No. 1 tailback, Shawn Walters, is expected to play Saturday after sitting out the Arizona game because of a cracked thumb. His backup, Leonard Green, gained 92 yards in the 45-28 victory, the most by any runner against Arizona this season.

Add stats: Quarterback Rob Johnson has completed 68.2% of his passes, tops in the Pac-10.