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Washington helps USC beat Oregon, extend home winning streaks

Nov 12, 2006 - 7:57 AM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Chauncey Washington and Southern California started an important three-game home stretch with an impressive victory.

Washington rushed for a career-high 119 yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries as the seventh-ranked Trojans defeated Pac-10 Conference rival Oregon, 35-10, for their 31st consecutive home victory.

True freshman C.J. Gable also ran for a score for USC (8-1, 6-1 Pac-10), which moved into a first-place tie atop the conference standings with No. 8 California. The Trojans host the Golden Bears next week before taking on No. 9 Notre Dame here November 25.

USC's home winning streak and 22-game conference tear at the Los Angeles Coliseum are both Pac-10 records. The Trojans improved to 18-0 in November under coach Pete Carroll.

"Both sides of the ball got what we needed to get done," Carroll said.

"It was no secret that this game and the following three are a big test, not only for the defense, but for the whole team," defensive end Lawrence Jackson said. "Coach kind of called some people out and we had decided that this was November and this is where everything is won or lost, and the guys put things in perspective. We know that every game from here on out is a must win. We knew we had to come out fighting and that's what we did."

Gable opened the scoring with a two-yard run with 12:22 to play in the second quarter. On the next play, true freshman safety Taylor Mays intercepted Dennis Dixon, setting up a five-yard TD run by Washington that gave the Trojans a 14-0 cushion.

Oregon (7-3, 4-3) got on the scoreboard on a 22-yard field goal by Paul Martinez with 8:07 left in the third quarter and appeared to have some momentum when safety J.D. Nelson intercepted a pass by Trojans receiver Dwayne Jarrett two plays later.

But on the very next play, Dixon made a poor pitch that Trojans linebacker Dallas Sartz recovered at the Oregon 12, and Washington scored on a three-yard run soon thereafter for a 21-3 lead.

Washington pushed the advantage to 28-3 with a 43-yard scamper with 1:47 to play in the period.

"I felt great out there," Washington said. "They came right at us. You have to be patient and let things come to you. I felt good."

"I thought (Washington) had a great game," Carroll said. "He was banged up early in the game but he bounced back from it and finished the game. He looked great, ran real hard at the line of scrimmage and was averaging over six yards a carry, and I was real pleased about that."

Dixon completed 15-of-23 passes for 130 yards and backup Brady Leaf went 14-of-23 for 123 yards and a touchdown for Oregon, which was visiting USC for the first time since 2000. The past three meetings were in Eugene.

Leaf threw a seven-yard TD to running back Jonathan Stewart on 4th-and-goal just over a minute into the fourth quarter. The call was overturned because Stewart's foot was out of bounds before he caught the ball, but the Ducks challenged that ruling and won because the ball had been tipped prior to the catch.

John David Booty went 16-of-25 for 176 yards, a TD and an interception for USC. He capped the scoring with a 12-yard pass to Jarrett with 12:15 remaining. It was Jarrett's Pac-10-record 35th career TD catch.