Trojans Untie Irish String

Brad Otton, who had to tell John Robinson a little lie in order to play Saturday, courageously led his suddenly inspired USC football team to an epic 27-20 overtime victory over Notre Dame on Saturday night at the Coliseum.

Otton, playing with ribs so sore he had to leave the game during the first series, came back and led USC to two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and one in overtime, a charge that enabled the Trojans to end their cursed winless streak against the Irish after 13 games.

The victory--ensured when Notre Dame quarterback Ron Powlus’ last-gasp fourth-down pass in overtime was batted away by USC linebacker Mark Cusano--was a most improbable result in a game USC led early, before steadily falling behind, 20-12, late in the fourth quarter.

It could have been a nine-point lead, but kicker Jim Sanson missed the extra point, setting the stage for USC’s victory.

At that point, Otton willed the pain away . . . and found a way to give Notre Dame a pain in the neck.

After the game, Irish players said Coach Lou Holtz told them this would be their last game. Athletic Director Mike Wadsworth said the Irish would not accept a bid to a second-tier bowl game.

The Trojans, about two months overdue to play a complete football game, finally did. On this night, before 90,296, there would be no late-game collapse so typical of these 1996 Trojans, who finished 6-6.

So cut the hangman’s noose off John Robinson’s neck, and tear down the gallows.

To a man, USC’s players--who presented their coach with the game ball--said their victory made up for an otherwise mostly forgettable season.

Defensive end George Perry didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

“When did I know we had it?” he said, laughing. “Not until that very last play, when [Powlus] didn’t complete that pass. Until then, I wasn’t taking anything for granted, not after how we’d been playing.”

Otton, who suffered a bruised breastbone and ribs in last week’s overtime loss to UCLA, crafted a dramatic finish to his college career.

He seemed to have made an early exit, when, even with his custom-fitted flak jacket, he was hurt when Notre Dame’s Kory Minor smashed him to the turf on the game’s sixth play.

He went to the locker room and returned after first Matt Koffler and then Quincy Woods were unable to move the team consistently, and led them to a victory comparable in thrills to any in Trojan lore.

Otton’s finish played out like this:

--After Powlus and tailback Autry Denson had taken Notre Dame to a 20-12 lead with 4:29 to go, Otton took USC 67 yards and let Delon Washington burst up the middle for a 15-yard scoring run.

--Washington tied the score by running in a two-point conversion. With 2:02 to go, it was 20-20.

--They went to overtime, where Otton, starting at the 25-yard line, suddenly couldn’t miss. He connected for gains of 14 yards to Rodney Sermons and seven yards to John Allred before passing to Sermons for a five-yard touchdown.

--At that point, USC’s defense was bent on shaking loose whatever demons had cursed them in so many previous fourth-quarter and overtime flameouts.

Notre Dame’s overtime series was its most ineffective of the game. Powlus got six on a pass to Pete Chryplewicz; a gang of Trojan defenders that included Matt Keneley, Grant Pearsall, Cusano and Chris Claiborne threw Denson for a five-yard loss; a third-down pass fell incomplete and finally, after 3 hours 34 minutes, Cusano batted down Notre Dame’s final pass.

Robinson, who could have crowed a bit, didn’t.

“I’m very happy with the win. . . . It’s one of the best moments of my life,” he said.

“We wanted to be balanced offensively in the fourth quarter because we didn’t want Notre Dame to get a line on us, and also I don’t think they expected us to run much.”

Washington said Robinson gave the same speech three times in team meetings during the week, referring only obliquely to his situation, to rumors he might be ousted after three consecutive losses.

“He told us Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday to not worry about his situation, that he wanted us to focus on ourselves,” Washington said.

And Robinson even called this shot, said guard Chris Brymer.

“He told us every day we were going to win, and we believed him,” he said.

Senior defensive tackle Keneley said for fleeting moments, he saw fear of losing in some teammates’ eyes.

“I saw some doubt in some eyes, when we fell behind, that fear of somehow screwing it all up,” he said. “But we had committed ourselves to play hard for 60 minutes, to end this streak.”

Otton’s lie had to do with pain. Robinson said early in the week he wouldn’t let his senior quarterback play “unless he’s pain-free.”

“I never was, but I had to tell coach I was, so I could play,” said Otton, grinning.

Otton had a remarkable night. It wouldn’t be the USC offense without dropped passes and on this night there were three--by R. Jay Soward, Allred and Mike Bastianelli.

But this time Otton surmounted all that, completing 13 of 25 passes for 183 yards and a pair of touchdowns. As usual, the ground game was ground chuck, with the Trojans rushing for 92 yards, compared to Notre Dame’s 260.

Defensive coordinator Keith Burns saluted one of his few departing seniors, linebacker Sammy Knight, who probably had his career game: 14 tackles, a sack, and two fumble recoveries.

“Sammy Knight is the greatest football player I ever coached,” he said.

* HAPPY RETURNS

“I’m very happy with this win,” John Robinson said. “It’s one of the best moments of my life.” No one nearby doubted him. C8

* POLICING THE AREA

Lou Holtz expected to be carried off the field by his players, but instead had to settle for the company of policeman John Dohle. C9