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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Not the Huskies’ lucky day


Southern California quarterback Matt Leinart drops back to pass as center Ryan Kalil blocks Washington's Wilson Afoa, and Taitusi Lutui, right, stands ready. 
 (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Molly Yanity Seattle Post-Intelligencer

SEATTLE – It was never a matter of “save for a few botched plays and the Washington Huskies would’ve been right in it.”

Granted, there were fumbles, a blocked punt and an illegal shift that wiped out a 52-yard pass play. Erasing all those mistakes could have made the score closer than the 37-17 hole the Huskies found themselves in at halftime of their football game with Southern California.

But the defense could not stop the USC offense – period – and a few mistakes didn’t seem to make a difference.

The inability to slow the nation’s best offense resulted in a 51-24 Trojans win.

The victory keeps No. 1 USC undefeated and marks its 29th consecutive win.

Washington (1-6, 0-4 Pac-10) couldn’t keep the Trojans from scoring quickly. It couldn’t slow long drives. It couldn’t stop them on special teams.

“This is a very, very good football team,” coach Tyrone Willingham said of the Trojans (7-0, 4-0). “That is a football team that understands how to win. When they have an opportunity, they know how to take advantage of it.”

Washington got off to a promising start when Marlon Wood returned the opening kickoff 92 yards to the Trojans’ 8. Josh Pinkard tackled Wood from behind in horseshoe fashion.

Wood’s left leg collapsed beneath him, resulting in a fractured ankle. He is likely out the remainder of the season after just beginning to make an impact on returns and in the receiving corps.

But that’s how it went for the Huskies.

Anything Washington did well, the Trojans did better.

The Huskies led 10-7 late in the first quarter after quarterback Isaiah Stanback lofted an 8-yard pass to the corner of the end zone for Craig Chambers.

But USC’s Darnell Bing, on his first career kickoff return, took it 68 yards. The Trojans scored on the next play when Matt Leinart hit Dwayne Jarrett for a 24-yard touchdown.

USC marched down the field at will and didn’t need a rushing attack to do it, scoring its first five touchdowns over just 10 plays.

“Against that offense, you can’t make any mistakes,” safety C.J. Wallace said.

Heisman Trophy favorite Reggie Bush returned a punt 84 yards for a touchdown.

Leinart, the first defending Heisman winner to face the Huskies, went 14 of 17 for 145 yards and three touchdowns – before halftime.

“He was on the whole time,” USC coach Pete Carroll said of Leinart. “He was whipping it around all day, and the protection was awesome for him. He just played a terrific game.”

Leinart’s 7-yard strike to Jarrett in the second quarter was the 86th of his career. That pushed him past Arizona State’s Andrew Walter on the Pac-10 all-time touchdown list.

He finished the day 20 of 26 for 201 yards with four touchdowns, bringing him to a career total of 87 with five games remaining.

Washington’s offense played well, despite losing tailbacks Louis Rankin (turf toe) and Kenny James (shoulder) in the first half.

The running game never got off the ground, netting just 59 yards.

Stanback went 14 for 18 for 201 yards and threw for a touchdown. He did not throw an interception but was sacked four times. He also scored a touchdown on a 1-yard keeper.

Notes

Cornerback Matt Fountaine did not dress. Willingham said he was suspended as a disciplinary measure. He said that the matter did not involve the law and that Fountaine would return this week. … Durrell Moss made his first career start in Fountaine’s place and registered his first career sack while leading the team with 10 tackles. … Safety Dashon Goldson returned a fourth-quarter interception 76 yards for a touchdown. It was the first time a Husky has returned an interception for a score since Marquis Cooper ran one back 38 yards in the 2003 Apple Cup.