Loss Sends Trojans to No. 18

USC’s 31-21 loss at Oregon State had a predictable effect on the rankings Sunday, sending the Trojans tumbling 10 spots to No. 18. The 31-21 defeat also dropped them near the bottom of the Pacific 10 standings.

Those weren’t the only discouraging numbers.

The Trojans, who lost tailback Sultan McCullough to what is now called a bruised knee, were held to 63 yards rushing. Carson Palmer was sacked three times. USC had three interceptions, a fumble and nine penalties for 90 yards.

One penalty nullified a go-ahead touchdown, another nullified a 50-yard gain.

“It’s kind of sad things like that happen,” linebacker Zeke Moreno said. “That was one of our killer things last year--mental mistakes.”

Such errors--and continuing problems with clock management--might raise questions about coaching, but not among the players.

“People outside the locker room can say what they want,” Moreno said. “The coaches gave us a great scheme. We just didn’t execute.”

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McCullough received treatment for his injured knee Sunday and is not expected back at practice until Wednesday at the earliest.

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Twenty-four hours after David Newbury missed another crucial field goal attempt--the third miss in his last four tries--Hackett reiterated that he was standing by his kicker.

“But I’m losing patience,” he said. “He did win us the Colorado game. I don’t want to forget that.”

The Trojans might not have much of an alternative. Neither David Bell, who handles kickoffs, nor freshman John Wall performed well in summer training camp.