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USC routes Idaho in season opener

Sep 2, 2007 - 7:00 AM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The USC Trojans showed why they are the No. 1 team in the nation, routing Idaho, 38-10, in their season opener on Saturday night.

Heisman Trophy candidate John David Booty threw for 206 yards and three touchdowns as the Trojans picked up right where they left off in 2006, extending their Pac 10 Conference record home winning streak to 34 games.

"We have some injuries on the offense, but guys came out and played hard," Booty said. "We had times we played like we expect to play and times where we did things like we don't want to do. The big thing is we got our first win."

The game turned into a sophomore showcase for the Trojans (1-0) as running back Stafon Johnson rushed for 63 yards on 12 carries and scored two touchdowns. Fellow running back C.J. Gable and wide receiver Vidal Hazelton each visited the end zone once.

"We're starters now, we have to step up," Gable said. "We played last year and we had to show what we could do. Now we are going to show more of what we can do. It was a young team and now there are no surprises. We know what we need to do."

The USC defense, who coach Pete Carroll said was the best he's had during his seven-year tenure, didn't disappoint, allowing just 253 yards, forcing one fumble and picking off a pass.

"There are a lot of areas we could do better on," Carroll said. "We didn't shut down the run like we should have been able to in this game. They pecked away at us. It felt like third down wasn't as sharp for us and we wanted it to be."

Johnson opened the USC scoring on a four-yard touchdown run in the first quarter before Gable, who ran for 69 yards on eight carries, pushed the lead to 14-0 by catching an eight-yard touchdown pass from Booty.

"I thought it was a really good game for Stafon Johnson," Carroll said. "He got to show what he's been showing on the practice field. He looks like a really good football player for us. C.J. also ran the ball well for us."

Booty, who completed 21-of-32 passes and threw one interception, added another TD pass in the second quarter, giving USC a 21-0 lead when Hazelton made an incredible one-handed catch in the right corner of the end zone. Hazelton finished the game with four catches for 44 yards.

Redshirt freshman Stanley Havili scored on a three-yard touchdown pass from Booty and Johnson added his second touchdown of the game in the third quarter, as the Trojan lead swelled to 35-3.

"I didn't really know anything, I just wanted to prepare for anything," Johnson said. "Coach (Carroll) did a great job letting everybody play and get rid of the first game jitters."

Freshman Deonte Jackson rushed for 99 yards on 22 carries for Idaho (0-1), which scored its only touchdown with 2:42 left in the fourth quarter as junior Jayson Bird scored from the goal line.

The Vandals had a chance to score three points early in the second quarter, but Clay Matthews, who was named special teams co-Player of the Year for the Trojans in 2006, blocked the 44-yard field goal attempt.

Idaho got on the board with 22 seconds left in the first half, as Tino Amancio hit a 20-yard field goal, capping off a 10-play, 53-yard drive.

USC's next game will come at Nebraska (1-0) on September 15. The Cornhuskers will be looking for revenge, after being beat by the Trojans, 28-10 last season.

"We have a really difficult matchup in the next two weeks and hopefully we can get some of the guys that weren't able to go in this game find there way back out there," Carroll said. "It's going to be a challenge for us and we are looking forward to going back there."