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USC wins seventh straight Pac-10 title

Dec 7, 2008 - 2:48 AM PASADENA, California (Ticker) -- Perhaps it took Southern California a while to get used to wearing their cardinal red jerseys on the road.

Mark Sanchez tossed two touchdown passes as the fifth-ranked Trojans overcame a slow start to clinch their seventh straight Pac-10 Conference title Saturday with a 28-7 victory over UCLA.

The Trojans, who won their 39th conference title overall, set up a meeting with No. 6 Penn State in the Rose Bowl on January 1.

Still, it was not quite as one-sided as many expected. USC (11-1, 8-1) entered the contest as nearly a five-touchdown favorite.

"I thought we had a terrific football season," USC coach Pete Carroll said. "I'm really proud of the consistency. I'm proud that we've kept the program at the top of the conference. Defense was the key today."

On Monday, Carroll said the Trojans would be decked out in their red jerseys at the Rose Bowl in violation of an NCAA rule that requires the visiting team to wear white.

Carroll wanted to restore a tradition as the last time USC and UCLA each wore their home jerseys was in 1982, when they shared the Los Angeles Coliseum.

"I thought the uniforms looked great today," Carroll said. "This is the way it's supposed to be. It looked great, and I'm glad that we started the tradition. Hopefully we can continue that."

USC trailed for most of the first quarter after UCLA wide receiver Dominique Johnson tossed a 21-yard TD pass to Kahlil Bell to give the Bruins (4-8, 3-6) a 7-0 lead four minutes into the contest.

The Trojans turned the ball over twice and missed two field goals in the first half, but took the lead for good, 14-7, on Sanchez's 12-yard TD pass to Damian Williams with 1:09 left in the opening period.

The Bruins finished their first season under coach Rick Neuheisel with their first eight-loss campaign since 1963.

"No. 1, I'm thankful to be back in college football doing what I do," Neuheisel said. "I'm very thankful for those who gave me the opportunity. I think our defense evolved to a very competitive place."

A fumble by USC's C.J. Gable at the Trojans' 20-yard line set up the game's opening score, but the Bruins generated little offense against USC's defense, which is allowing under eight points per game.

"We played great, and we only gave up one play, and it was a great play designed by them," Carroll said.

UCLA managed just 66 yards in the first half and 157 overall as the Trojans won their ninth straight game following a 27-21 loss at Oregon State on September 27 that cost them a spot in the BCS national championship game.

UCLA's Kevin Craft completed only 11-of-28 passes 89 yards and an interception - his 20th of the season.

"I think Kevin played hard," Neuheisel said. "I think he worked hard to manage games and to learn our offense. This isn't personally directed at Kevin, but the quarterback at UCLA has to play better."

After David Buehler missed a 41-yard field goal on the Trojans' second possession, USC finally got its offense untracked.

The Trojans put together a six-play, 72-yard drive, tying the contest on Joe McKnight's 12-yard TD run.

USC forced a three-and-out, then needed only four plays to grab the lead on Sanchez's TD strike to Williams.

Stafon Johnson tacked on a 2-yard TD run with 1:55 remaining in the second quarter to give the Trojans a 21-7 halftime lead.

Sanchez accounted for the only score in the second half with an 18-yard TD pass just 2 1/2 minutes into the third quarter.

Sanchez completed 18-of-33 passes for 269 yards. McKnight paced the Trojans on the ground, rushing for 99 yards on 15 carries.