Lackluster USC makes way past Arizona

LOS ANGELES – Southern California expects to take every opponent’s best shot. Arizona delivered a bigger challenge than expected.

LenDale White scored a career-high four touchdowns and rushed for 179 yards, and No. 1 USC won 42-21 Saturday for its 27th consecutive victory.

Playing at the Coliseum for the second time this season, the Trojans (5-0, 3-0 Pac-10) also won their school-record 23rd straight home game.

“It took us a long time to gain control of this game,” coach Pete Carroll said. “The expectations we have for ourselves are so high, we feel the frustration.”

Dwayne Jarrett added two touchdowns for the Trojans, who hit the road again for their next two games, including next week at Notre Dame.

White and Reggie Bush, who had 110 yards and sustained a minor right knee sprain, each ran for 100-plus yards for the third consecutive game – a first in USC history.

Steve Smith added seven catches for 134 yards.

“We had to come out pounding the ball,” White said. “Our offensive line did a great job. Every time I got the ball, they had a great surge. They deserve all the credit.”

After rallying from an 18-point halftime deficit at Arizona State and a 13-point, first-half deficit at Oregon the last two weeks, the Trojans again looked stagnant early against the Wildcats (1-4, 0-2).

“No team is going to roll over because they’re playing the Trojans,” linebacker Oscar Lua said. “We came out a little flat. It was kind of a disappointing day for the defense as far as letting them score.”

USC owned a huge statistical advantage, but Arizona gave the Trojans fits most of the game despite being 38 1/2 -point underdogs, the largest spread in college football this week.

“We threw everything at them, but they’re a dominant team, and they can come right out of the ashes just like they have in the past,” Arizona free safety Darrell Brooks said.

The Trojans piled up 724 yards in total offense to Arizona’s 245, but it didn’t lead to quite the easy victory that 90,221 fans had expected. The Wildcats trailed by a touchdown entering the fourth quarter.

“We were hanging with them punch for punch the entire game,” Brooks said.

The Trojans failed to clean up the penalties that had plagued them the previous two weeks. They were penalized six times for 60 yards in the game.

“That is what it takes to disrupt a rhythm,” Carroll said.

Arizona punter Danny Baugher put the Trojans in poor field position most of the first half, averaging 46 yards a punt and keeping Bush from returning any punts in the game.

Leading 35-21 with 10 minutes remaining, USC’s Collin Ashton tipped Richard Kovalcheck’s pass to Ryan Ting, who intercepted it and stopped the Wildcats’ last scoring threat on USC’s 6-yard line.

“They kind of got a piece of it and it just ricocheted,” Arizona coach Mike Stoops said. “They make you do a lot of things that are probably unnatural.”

USC’s Matt Leinart was 26 of 40 for 360 yards, two touchdowns and one interception before being replaced by John David Booty with 6:22 remaining.

“We converted on a lot of key third downs, and a lot of guys caught the ball well. We just made some plays,” Leinart said. “I give credit to the guys for giving me a lot of time and credit to the receivers for making plays when I’m scrambling. Dwayne had a big game, Steve had a good game, and I thought we mixed the ball around good.”