USC routs Cougars
Published 12:00 am Saturday, October 30, 2004
PULLMAN, Wash. (AP) - Reggie Bush and LenDale White each scored two touchdowns, Dwayne Jarrett caught two more from scores from Matt Leinart and No. 1 Southern California routed Washington State 42-12 Saturday.
In rolling up 426 yards of offense, USC (8-0, 5-0 Pac-10) extended its winning streak to 17 games and 12 straight in the Pac-10 Conference.
The Trojans defense held the Cougars to 156 yards, sacking quarterback Alex Brink five times, forcing seven fumbles and limiting the Cougars to minus-9 yards rushing.
Leinart completed 23 of 28 for 235 yards and helped build a 42-0 lead before being replaced for part of the third quarter by backup Matt Cassell. After Cassell miscues led to WSU scores, Leinart finished the game.
Jarrett, a freshman, hauled in TDs of 42 and 4 yards.
The Trojans scored on their first two possessions with Bush sweeping around the right end for a 19-yard touchdown to start the rout.
USC's Desmond Reed recovered a botched kickoff at the WSU 21, setting up White's 1-yard score, and just like that it was 14-0.
Bush's 57-yard punt return gave USC a 21-0 lead midway through the first quarter. He finished with 143 all-purpose yards, including 78 yards on three punt returns.
White's second touchdown came after Mike Patterson recovered Brink's fumble that Shaun Cody forced at the WSU 18, leading to the 35-0 halftime score. White finished with 77 yards on 16 carries.
Washington State (3-5, 1-4) got on the board after Leinart left and USC had put in its reserves, avoiding a a shutout when Brink hit Bumpus on a 24-yard scoring play after Cassell fumbled on his first play.
Ten seconds later, Pat Bennett intercepted Cassell and returned it 28 yards to make it USC 42-12.
Brink, harried for the entire game by the Trojans' defense, completed 17 of 40 for 165 yards and was intercepted once.
The Trojans were so dominant against WSU's rush that punter Kyle Basler's 17-yard scamper on a fake led all Cougar rushers.
It was the first time a No. 1 team has played in Martin Stadium. Prior to Saturday's game, California was ranked No. 2 when it visited Washington State in 1951, and beat WSU 42-35.
Washington State's only win over a top-ranked teams was when the Cougars beat UCLA, 34-30, at Los Angeles in 1988.
The Trojans are 28-1 since losing to the Cougars in Pullman in 2002.