Trojans rout Wolverines
PASADENA, Calif. – Even before his uniform had come off Monday, Dwayne Jarrett’s teammates were lobbying him to wear it one more year.
After the day he had in the Rose Bowl, it’s easy to see why.
Jarrett, the sensational Southern California junior, caught 11 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns to help the eighth-ranked Trojans finish their season with a statement in a 32-18 romp over Michigan.
It was an all-encompassing blowout over a solid, third-ranked Michigan squad that positioned USC (11-2) as maybe the team to watch next season.
And that’s even if Jarrett takes the bucks and heads to the NFL.
“I said to him, ‘One more year, man. We’ve got to do this again next year,’ ” quarterback John David Booty said. “He’s got to do what’s best for him and his family, but he definitely knows that I want him back here.”
Booty was no slouch, either. He threw for 391 yards and four scores to land himself on the early short list of next season’s Heisman favorites. Jarrett would be there if he decides to return.
On defense, linebacker Brian Cushing had 2 1/2 sacks and defensive end Lawrence Jackson came up with two turnovers.
The convincing victory came a month after a 13-9 loss to UCLA on the same field wrecked their chances for another shot at the national championship.
“Our guys know that wasn’t us,” coach Pete Carroll said. “That was the single game out of the last 65 that stood out because it was so different and unusual. So we put it behind us.”
Jarrett’s 62-yard touchdown behind All-America cornerback Leon Hall put USC ahead 25-11 early in the fourth quarter and showed just how good the 6-foot-5 pass catcher can be.
For icing, Jarrett outjumped a pair of Michigan defenders for a 29-yard gain midway through the fourth quarter. A few plays later, Booty threw his fourth touchdown pass – this one to senior Steve Smith, who finished with seven catches for 108 yards.
“He was as advertised,” Hall said of Jarrett. “He’s a playmaker. We saw it on film, and we saw it today.”
The Wolverines didn’t look as good as the ones who lost a 42-39 heartbreaker to Ohio State in November that cost them a shot at the national title. And they hardly looked like champions.
“I don’t want to compare teams,” coach Lloyd Carr said when asked how USC looked next to Ohio State. “I said going into this game, USC is the best defensive team we’ve played, and there’s no doubt in my mind that they are.”
Quarterback Chad Henne didn’t get the Wolverines past the USC 20 until they had fallen behind 19-3. When Michigan finally did reach the end zone to cut its deficit to 19-11, the Trojans came right back with Jarrett’s long touchdown.
Carr’s team ended the season on a two-game losing streak for a third straight year.
“I think it mattered a lot,” Carr said of the Rose Bowl, likened to a consolation prize for two teams that had title aspirations. “They’re tremendously disappointed because they wanted to win. Anybody that thinks this game doesn’t mean a lot doesn’t know much about this game.”