USC Joy Almost Too Much to Handle

The lengthy celebration of USC’s victory on the field of the Coliseum threatened to get out of control before about 20 off-duty LAPD officers stepped in.

Fans filled the field despite warnings from the public-address announcer, and many gathered in front of the end zone near the tunnel.

When a few fans chanted, “Goal post, goal post,” the police officers lined up in front of the end zone, and when a few fans surged forward, some officers drew their clubs as a warning.

Two young men were handcuffed and made to lie face-down in the end zone as the officers cleared the field.

However, Sgt. Steven Faulk, a watch commander at the LAPD Southwest Division, said he was not aware of any arrests.

“No one was brought here,” he said.

There also were at least two fights in the stands during the game that drew a police response.

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Defensive back Eric Whitfield was among the Bruins on the field during the celebration.

“No class,” Whitfield said. “It was rough.”

How so?

“There’s no comment needed on that one. . . . They tried to talk so much. Just a lot of talk, conversation, things like that. But I’m not trying to call any individuals out.”

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It was the first time USC fans rushed the Coliseum field since the Trojans defeated Notre Dame, 27-20 in overtime, in 1996.

That victory marked the end of the Trojans’ 13-game, non-winning streak against the Irish.

Some of the seniors who were on the field Saturday were also on the field then.

“We didn’t go to a Rose Bowl, we didn’t win a national championship, but we stopped the two big streaks, and that’s a pretty good legacy,” linebacker David Gibson said.

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USC freshman cornerback Darrell Rideaux, forced to make the first start of his career because of Antuan Simmons’ unscheduled back surgery this week, was a target for UCLA.

“Our coaches and team had confidence in me and threw me out there into the heat of that kitchen,” Rideaux said. “I got burned a few times due to the heat, but the team believed in me and finally a couple of breaks went my way.”

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Injury report: USC linebacker Markus Steele suffered a bruised abdomen. Safety John Morgan has a neck sprain and center Eric Denmon has an ankle sprain.

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Sultan McCullough’s 48-yard sideline run in the second quarter not only placated fans who thought he should have been carrying the ball more this year, but also gave them visions of a powerful Trojan offense next year.

Carson Palmer at quarterback, McCullough at running back, Kareem Kelly and Marcell Allmond at wide receiver, Antoine Harris at tight end, and three of Saturday’s five starters on the offensive line.

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This is the first time Bob Toledo has been on the losing side in the USC-UCLA rivalry after eight games as a coach with both schools. . . . This was the lowest scoring USC-UCLA game since the 1989 game, which ended in a 10-10 tie.

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UCLA defensive lineman Travor Turner, out since tearing a knee ligament in the season opener, said he plans to go ahead with an appeal to be granted a rare sixth year of eligibility, even while conceding his chances are slim.

What he has not decided, though, is if he will take advantage of it should the opportunity come.

Turner, who would have been an emotional leader of the defense and arguably the Bruins’ best pass rusher, is also weighing his NFL opportunities. If he likes his chances there, he might not return to UCLA even if the NCAA allows it.

“If they say yes, it’ll be a big-time decision for me,” Turner said. “If they say no, I’ll just continue to go on the road I’m already on.”