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Colbert Is Catching Up on Career List

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Times Staff Writer

In last week’s 37-17 victory at Arizona State, senior flanker Keary Colbert dropped a sure touchdown pass late in the third quarter when the game was still close.

After practice Monday, Colbert worked on perfecting the over-the-shoulder grab.

During the No. 9-ranked Trojans’ 44-21 victory over Stanford on Saturday night, Colbert grabbed something else -- fourth place on USC’s all-time pass-catching list.

Colbert, who entered the game tied with R. Jay Soward for fifth place with 161 career receptions, caught six passes and passed Soward and John Jackson (163). Keyshawn Johnson (168) is one ahead.

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Kareem Kelly heads the list with 204 catches and Johnnie Morton is second with 201.

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USC became the 10th school to win at least 700 games in football. The Trojans, who began playing the sport in 1888, are 700-297-54.

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Sophomore middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu, who suffered a high ankle sprain at California on Sept. 27 and did not play at Arizona State, was not supposed to start against Stanford.

But he was forced into action almost immediately when junior Daniel Urquhart injured his neck on the Trojans’ first kickoff. Urquhart was carted off the field and later was diagnosed with a nerve injury.

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When senior cornerback Will Poole intercepted a pass by Stanford quarterback Trent Edwards at the Cardinal 25-yard line early in the second quarter, it marked the 16th consecutive game in which the Trojans had intercepted a pass.

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USC has scored at least 20 points in its last 19 games and at least 30 points in 13 of its last 14 games.

USC’s last 10 wins have been by at least 17 points.

With 13 consecutive home wins, the Trojans are next aiming for the 19 consecutive victories they had at the Coliseum from 1931 to ’33.

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Sophomore punter Tom Malone entered the game with a national-best 48.7-yard punting average and was angling to become only the second Trojan to lead the nation in punting (Des Koch did it in 1952, averaging 43.5).

Malone’s first punt of the night went for 56 yards and his second, which didn’t occur until late in the third quarter, was a 50-yarder.

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Stanford had allowed opponents only 56.3 yards rushing per game. USC had racked up 59 yards on the ground by its third offensive series.... Stanford is USC’s oldest rival, with the series dating to 1905, and the Trojans hold a 55-24-3 lead. The Cardinal, though, had won three of the previous four meetings and four of the last seven entering Saturday’s game.... USC honored Marcus Allen, the Trojans’ 1981 Heisman Trophy winner and 2003 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, in a halftime ceremony. Allen, who played 16 years with the Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL, was presented with a USC lettermen’s jacket.

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