Standing Room Only for USC

Pete Carroll preaches that games cannot be won in the first quarter. Or by halftime. Or during the third quarter.

For USC’s coach and defensive coordinator, it all comes down to the final 15 minutes.

The finish.

And Saturday, before a deafening crowd of 90,008 at the Coliseum, top-ranked USC lived by the credo, mounting a dramatic final defensive stand to preserve a pulsating 23-17 victory over seventh-ranked California.

On a day when Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers tied an NCAA record for consecutive completed passes in a game, USC bent but didn’t break when it counted most.

Cal, which started the game with the top scoring offense in the nation, had first and goal at the Trojans’ nine-yard line with 1 minute 47 seconds left. The Golden Bears, however, could not overcome a defense that has not allowed a fourth-quarter touchdown this season.

“That’s the best it can get,” a drained but exuberant Carroll said. “For what I do, put it on us and let’s see if we can get it done. How can you ask for anything more than that?”

In avenging last season’s triple-overtime loss to the Golden Bears, the Trojans improved to 5-0 overall and 2-0 in the Pacific 10. USC also extended its winning streak to 14 games and its home winning streak to 17 games, and remained on track for a possible berth in the Orange Bowl, this season’s bowl championship series title game.

“We were running on empty. We played a lot of defense in that second half,” defensive lineman Shaun Cody said. “But we knew they wouldn’t score. Maybe it’s just that Coliseum magic.”

With Rodgers completing passes to nine receivers -- though none for more than 20 yards -- Cal outgained the Trojans, 424 yards to 205. The Golden Bears held the ball for 37 minutes 11 seconds and limited USC to a season-low 50 offensive plays and 41 rushing yards.

“I feel we have a great team and that nine out of 10 times, we’d beat USC,” Cal safety Ryan Gutierrez said.

But Cal, which lost three fumbles, fell to 3-1 overall and 1-1 in the Pac-10.

“We dominated the game,” said Rodgers, who completed his first 23 passes and finished 29 for 34 for 267 yards with a touchdown. “We drove up and down the field all game and our defense was awesome. We just came up short.”

Said Coach Jeff Tedford: “We needed to make plays at the end. We got down there too many times without making plays.”

USC’s defense helped offset the performance of the Trojans’ usually high-powered offense, which failed to score touchdowns on several opportunities inside the 20-yard line.

The Trojans shook off the slow starts that had become a habit this season and led, 10-0, at the end of the first quarter.

LenDale White scored on a five-yard touchdown pass from Matt Leinart, and Ryan Killeen kicked field goals from 31, 33 and 42 yards to help give the Trojans a 16-10 lead at halftime.

USC extended it to 23-10 on the first possession of the third quarter when freshman Dwayne Jarrett caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from Leinart, who completed 15 of 25 passes for 164 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.

Rodgers answered by driving the Golden Bears 80 yards in 12 plays, ending in Marshawn Lynch’s two-yard touchdown run that cut the deficit to 23-17.

USC wasted an opportunity after Reggie Bush returned the ensuing kickoff 84 yards to the Cal 16. On third-and-goal from the 10, cornerback Harrison Smith intercepted a pass intended for Jarrett in the end zone and returned it to the 13.

The Trojans, however, began to clamp down on the first play of the fourth quarter when Mike Patterson sacked Rodgers, who fumbled on a third-down play.

The Trojans took over at the Cal 34 but could not get closer in three plays, and Cal got the ball back when Leinart completed a five-yard pass to Jason Mitchell on a fourth-and-10 play.

Cal missed a chance to get to within three points when Tom Schneider missed a 36-yard field-goal attempt with 6:53 to play.

But the Trojans went three and out, giving the Golden Bears one final chance.

Cal started at its 35 and moved downfield on Rodgers’ passes to receivers Burl Toler and Geoff McArthur. McArthur’s seventh reception of the game covered 17 yards and set the stage for USC’s final stand.

“We were getting a little tired, but every time we needed the crowd to get loud and juice it up ... being tired just wasn’t in the cards,” senior linebacker Matt Grootegoed said.

On first and goal from the nine, Rodgers’ pass to receiver Noah Smith fell incomplete, bringing a sigh of relief from Trojan cornerback Justin Wyatt.

“It was too low for me to get to the ball,” Wyatt said. “I was just trying to wedge my way in there. Thank God he didn’t catch it.”

On the next play, tackle Manuel Wright burst through to record USC’s fifth sack, for a five-yard loss.

Rodgers’ pass into the end zone for McArthur on third down also fell incomplete.

“I was trying to knock it down or distract him enough so he wouldn’t make the catch,” cornerback Eric Wright said.

Cal took a timeout to set up its final play and Trojan defenders urged the crowd to turn up the volume. As the noise reached a crescendo, Rodgers took the snap and dropped back.

Cody broke through with his hands in the air and forced Rodgers to his left. Cornerback Kevin Arbet tried to stay with receiver Jonathan Makonnen.

“He was trying to get under me for the post, and we got tangled up,” Arbet said. “When I saw the ball hit the ground, I said, ‘It’s over.’ ”