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USC visits Cal in game that means less than expected

Nov 10, 2007 - 11:31 AM No. 12 USC (7-2) at No. 24 California (6-3) 8:00 pm EST

BERKELEY, California (Ticker) -- Few would have predicted before the season that Southern California would sit in third place in the Pac-10 Conference this late in the campaign. Or that California would be fifth.

In a matchup that unexpectedly is not for the inside track to the conference crown, the 12th-ranked Trojans visit the No. 24 Golden Bears on Saturday.

The preseason No. 1 team in the country, USC (7-2, 4-2 Pac-10) was stunned by lowly Stanford at home on October 6, 24-23, then lost against three weeks later at Oregon, 24-17.

The Trojans sit a game behind the Ducks and Arizona State but need lots of breaks to win a sixth straight Pac-10 title.

USC did rebound from its loss at Oregon to cruise past visiting Oregon State last weekend, 24-3.

John David Booty, who had missed three games with a broken finger, tossed a pair of touchdowns in a game that saw no scoring in the second half.

Cal (6-3, 3-3) was ranked second nationally and was poised to become No. 1 for the first time in program history before losing at home to Oregon State on October 13, 31-28.

The Bears lost their following two games as well, at UCLA and Arizona State, to fall out of the conference race. Last week, Cal ended its skid with a 20-17 victory over Washington State here.

Justin Forsett rushed for 132 yards and two touchdowns, including a 44-yarder with 2:42 left that gave the Bears an 11-point lead.

USC has won the last three meetings since Cal won in triple overtime here in 2003. Last year, the Trojans posted a 23-9 win to claim the conference title. The Bears would have booked their first Rose Bowl berth since 1948 had they won.