Trojans are on the brink in BCS

USC expected that its impressive victory over Oregon and a string of upset defeats by other one-loss teams would move the Trojans closer to a possible berth in the Bowl Championship Series title game.

On Sunday, the Trojans vaulted right to the brink.

USC moved from seventh to third in the BCS standings behind No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Michigan, passing previous No. 3 Florida in the process.

Ohio State and Michigan play each other Saturday in the season finale for both teams.

If USC defeats California on Saturday, the Trojans are assured of at least a Rose Bowl berth. If USC also beats Notre Dame and UCLA, the Trojans could grab the coveted No. 2 spot in the BCS standings and play the winner of Saturday’s Big Ten Conference showdown in what would be their third consecutive BCS title-game appearance.

“There’s always going to be openings and opportunities if you can keep winning because it’s hard for everybody else to do it,” said USC Coach Pete Carroll, who is 18-0 in November games. “So here we are. We’re knocking on the door of being right in the top spot.

“But it doesn’t mean anything right now unless you come out and play real well and win again.”

USC has defeated three teams in this week’s BCS standings -- No. 7 Arkansas, No. 23 Nebraska and No. 24 Oregon.

Cal, which lost to Arizona on Saturday, is No. 15, Notre Dame No. 5.

“When you play such a difficult schedule, I would think we’re getting some respect for that,” Carroll said.

Two weeks ago, after its upset loss at Oregon State, it looked as if the Trojans would have a long road back to contention.

But previously unbeaten Louisville lost Thursday and Texas and Auburn absorbed their second defeats Saturday. One-loss Florida hung on for a 17-16 victory over South Carolina.

USC, meanwhile, mostly controlled Oregon’s high-powered offense en route to a 35-10 win.

“They made some big plays receiving-wise, but we felt as if we had a good week of game planning that came to use and we stuffed their running game,” linebacker Rey Maualuga said.

Now USC faces Cal at the Coliseum in a game that will decide at least a share of the Pac-10 title. Cal’s 24-20 upset loss to Arizona on Saturday knocked the Golden Bears out of contention for the national title.

“Rarely do they ever run into and stumble with a team that they’re supposed to beat like what happened last week,” Carroll said.

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Carroll said Oregon Coach Mike Bellotti “did a fine job exercising the opportunities and options that they allowed him. I think he was just competing,” when Bellotti challenged a ruling that initially nullified Jonathan Stewart’s fourth-quarter touchdown catch. The officials reversed the decision and awarded Oregon the touchdown.

“To stall a football game for 14 or 15 minutes, that’s ridiculous,” said Carroll, who has long been a critic of the use of instant replay.

After the officials’ decision, a national television audience could clearly read Carroll’s lips as he repeatedly cursed.

“I apologize to anybody who thought that might have come their way,” Carroll said. “I was just really upset by the whole situation that we had just gone through and just did what I shouldn’t have.”

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Running back Emmanuel Moody could miss at least a few weeks because of an ankle injury, Carroll said. Moody, who will be examined again today, said he might have torn ligaments.... Tailback Chauncey Washington played much of the Oregon game with a knee bruise and was sore Sunday. Washington is expected to play against Cal, Carroll said.

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gary.klein@latimes.com