Returner Johnson waiting for big break

BERKELEY -- Freshman Ronald Johnson continued to provide USC with big kickoff returns Saturday during the 12th-ranked Trojans’ 24-17 victory over No. 24 California at Memorial Stadium.

Johnson returned four kicks for 102 yards, including one for 41 yards and another for 35.

Johnson entered the game averaging 24.9 yards a return, fourth in the Pacific 10 Conference.

“I’m looking forward to breaking one for a touchdown,” he said. “I’m getting closer and closer. It will come.”

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Quarterback John David Booty said it had been five or six years since he played a game when it was raining throughout.

“It let up at times here or there, but it was the whole time,” said Booty, who lost one fumbled snap and recovered another.

Booty also uncharacteristically scrambled for nine yards in the third quarter.

“I don’t know what got into me,” he said as he stood next to backup Mark Sanchez in the locker room. “I was like this guy out there tonight. I felt like Mark.

“I’m sure it looked pretty goofy. I’m not excited to see that” on film.

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The rain began to fall around noon and continued through the afternoon before becoming heavier before kickoff.

During Friday’s walk-through, Coach Pete Carroll had said he was not concerned about the predicted conditions.

“As long as it rains on both sides of the field we’re OK,” he quipped.

Carroll said the conditions would necessitate extra precautions.

“You have to take care of the football more than ever. It has a way of slipping and getting out of your grips if you’re not really good about it,” Carroll said. “There’s a mode that you get in. You have to do some things maybe a little differently if it’s really coming down. And then you try to take great advantage of it on the side of the ball and get that [ball] out, and force the other team to turn the football over.”

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Cal quarterback Nate Longshore, who played at Canyon Country Canyon High, completed 13 of 29 passes for 199 yards and a touchdown but had two passes intercepted.

“I take the responsibility for this one myself,” he said. “Coming down the stretch, I need to play better to give us a chance to win.

“I haven’t been playing well enough for us to win, and I’m the first one to say that.”

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The University of California put up a new chain-link fence, expanding the area involved in a protest by tree sitters outside Memorial Stadium.

A half-dozen protesters are camped out in the trees earmarked by the university to be cut down in order to build a $125-million athletic training complex.

A judge’s ruling on the project is expected as soon as next week.

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As part of its Hall of Fame weekend, Cal wore throwback jerseys circa 1975 in honor or All-American quarterback Joe Roth.

Roth discovered he had cancer during the 1976 season and died in February 1977.

Cal has designated each year’s home game against USC or UCLA as the Joe Roth Memorial Game.

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In a salute to their Northern California roots, USC linebacker Thomas Williams and defensive lineman Christian Tupou served as special teams and service teams captains.

Williams, a senior linebacker from Vacaville, started four games this season and has played every linebacker spot. He entered the game with 34 tackles, including 2 1/2 for losses, and an interception.

Tupou, a freshman from Sacramento, had not made a tackle.

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USC leads the series against Cal, 60-30-5.

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gary.klein@latimes.com

Thomas.bonk@latimes.com