Trojan Eyes Smiling About the Possibilities

So much for extended celebrations.

Last year, USC reveled in euphoria for weeks after shutting out UCLA in the last game of the regular season.

On Sunday, a day after his team again routed its rival and moved up to No. 6 in the Associated Press poll, Coach Pete Carroll and his staff were back to work mapping out strategy for this week’s showdown with No. 7 Notre Dame.

“We’re just in the same mode,” Carroll said.

Carroll, however, did not hide his happiness over securing at least a share of the Pacific 10 Conference championship. Washington helped make it possible by upsetting Washington State in triple overtime at Pullman.

Washington State, which defeated USC in overtime, 30-27, on Oct. 5, can tie for the title and earn a berth in the Rose Bowl game if the Cougars defeat UCLA at the Rose Bowl on Dec. 7. If Washington State loses, USC wins the title outright and will play in the Rose Bowl game Jan. 1.

“It’s a big step for us to be a conference champion whether it’s a co-champion or not,” said Carroll, who listened in his car as a friend delivered play-by-play of the Washington State game by cellular phone. “It would be great fun to top it off and go to the Rose Bowl.

“I hope everyone that’s a Trojan fan goes to the Rose Bowl [for the Washington State-UCLA game] and fills it up. Cardinal and gold would look great in there that day.”

USC’s 52-21 victory over UCLA extended the Trojans’ winning streak to six games and assured the Trojans of their first nine-win regular season since 1988.

Coincidentally, that was the last year USC and Notre Dame both were ranked among the top seven when they played. Top-ranked Notre Dame defeated second-ranked USC, 27-10, at the Coliseum and went on to win the national championship.

It is highly unlikely that either school will play for this year’s national title in the Fiesta Bowl, but both are in the running for possible berths in the Sugar or Orange bowls. If USC wins the Pac-10 outright and does not ascend to the top two spots in the BCS standings, it is contractually bound to play in the Rose Bowl.

Bowl scenarios, however, were not on the minds of USC players after dismantling UCLA. Notre Dame was -- especially after the Fighting Irish beat Rutgers, 42-0.

“We let the nation know today we’re a real team and we play real hard,” safety DeShaun Hill said. “We saw they won, 42-0, so we know it’s a big-time game. They are a championship-caliber team like we are.”

Said freshman receiver Mike Williams: “This sets us up pretty good. We’re back home, and we play well at home.”

USC has won eight consecutive games over the last two seasons at the Coliseum. But extending that streak to nine will be a challenge because the Trojans have not defeated UCLA and Notre Dame in the same season since 1981. They have not defeated the Bruins and Fighting Irish in consecutive games in the same season since 1978.

There also is the Willingham factor.

Notre Dame Coach Tyrone Willingham guided Stanford to victories over USC in his last three seasons with the Cardinal before he left for South Bend, Ind., last Dec. 31.

Carroll said familiarity with Willingham’s systems would help the Trojans.

“They have the same coordinators and a lot of the same stuff is being run,” Carroll said. “It’s not like a brand-new team to us.”

Trojan players said they would learn more about Notre Dame in film sessions this week, but they’ve already drawn some conclusions based on televised games and highlights.

“The first couple games, their defense was being compared to the Baltimore Ravens when they won the Super Bowl, like they were the greatest ever,” tackle Bernard Riley said. “I think they are going to have their hands full with us.”

Trojan quarterback Carson Palmer, who passed for 254 yards and four touchdowns against UCLA, said Notre Dame presents a greater challenge.

“They don’t have a whole lot of offense, they win with their defense,” he said. “We’re going to have to play really well on offense to get past them.”

USC’s offense was in high gear against UCLA. The Trojans amassed 468 yards and scored almost at will as receivers repeatedly beat Bruin cornerbacks. USC scored its most points of the season and eclipsed 40 points for the fourth time in five games.

“We needed this game offensively,” said wide receiver Kareem Kelly, who is three receptions shy of Johnnie Morton’s USC career-record 201. “We’re going to need another performance like this against Notre Dame.”

*

Carroll said center Norm Katnik suffered a sprained ankle against UCLA but will try to play against Notre Dame. Senior Derek Graf would start in Katnik’s place if he cannot practice or play.... Williams’ 997 receiving yards is a Pac-10 record for a freshman.