Confidence High Despite First Loss

A day after its early bid for a perfect season ended, USC on Sunday dropped seven spots to No. 18 in the Associated Press college football poll.

The Trojans’ 27-20 loss to Kansas State on Saturday night caused the fall.

USC players, however, insisted there was no cause for alarm.

Not after winning two of three nonconference games that were regarded among the toughest matchups in the nation.

And not with a Pacific 10 Conference opener against No. 23 Oregon State coming Saturday at the Coliseum.

“It would have been nice to be 3-0, but we’re 2-1 and getting ready for the Pac-10,” senior running back Malaefou MacKenzie said while packing his gear after the loss. “That’s the real deal. That’s what gets you to the Rose Bowl.”

USC has not played in Pasadena on New Year’s Day since the 1995 season when the Trojans started 6-0, tied Washington for the Pac-10 title and defeated Northwestern in the Rose Bowl to complete a 9-2-1 season.

Minutes after their comeback bid against Kansas State fell short, several Trojans said they were already thinking about unbeaten Oregon State (4-0), one of four Pac-10 opponents ranked in the top 25.

“It’s Pac-10 time,” senior middle linebacker Mike Pollard said. “The preseason is over. Now we have to go on and win the conference.”

To do that, the Trojans must eliminate the dropped passes and special teams miscues that cost them against Kansas State (4-0), which vaulted 10 spots to No. 15.

USC also must regroup on defense.

The Trojans went into the Kansas State game ranked No. 1 in the nation in total defense, allowing 171 yards a game.

The Wildcats, with quarterback Ell Roberson at the controls for the final three quarters, more than doubled that average, amassing 347 yards.

“We missed five tackles last week [against Colorado] and we missed a ton this week,” USC Coach Pete Carroll said Sunday.

USC trailed by 21 points in the fourth quarter before scoring two touchdowns.

The Trojans were driving again in the final three minutes before the Wildcats stopped them on downs at the Kansas State 38-yard line with 26 seconds left.

“We have to take what we did in the fourth quarter into the next game,” left tackle Jacob Rogers said. “We have to look forward instead of looking back.”

Oregon State moved into the top 25 with a 59-19 victory over Fresno State that avenged last season’s loss to the Bulldogs.

Running back Steven Jackson rushed for 227 yards and two touchdowns and quarterback Derek Anderson passed for 214 yards and three touchdowns for the Beavers, who also defeated Eastern Kentucky, Temple and Nevada Las Vegas.

“It looks very much like the film that we looked at of K-State,” Carroll said. “They’re just ripping. No one has even been able to slow them down.”

USC defensive tackle Shaun Cody is not worried. The Trojans, he said, will be ready when they play at the Coliseum for the first time since defeating Auburn in their opener Sept. 2.

“We’ll regroup and I think we’re going to be hungry now,” Cody said. “We realize what it would mean to win the Pac-10 and go to the Rose Bowl. We’re fine.”

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Ryan Killeen could be the No. 1 kicker for the Oregon State game after making two extra-point kicks in the fourth quarter against Kansas State. Killeen replaced David Davis, who missed a 30-yard field-goal attempt and had a conversion kick blocked and returned for a two-point play. Freshman punter Tom Malone also struggled on several kicks. “It’s the kicks that have been hurting us,” Carroll said. “We can count on it getting better because I don’t think it’s going to get any farther off than we are right now.” ... Cornerback Ronald Nunn, who left the game because of an injured right knee, will undergo an MRI exam today, Carroll said. If Nunn cannot play Saturday, William Buchanon, Justin Wyatt or Marcell Allmond could start in his place.... Walk-on receiver Greig Carlson returned three punts for 23 yards and Carroll said he might continue in that role.