GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NCAAF: USC (8-2) at ARIZONA ST (9-1)

NCAAF: USC at ARIZONA ST

<div class="pre">NCAAF USC AT ARIZONA ST
NOTE: RESENDING TO CORRECT RUSHING LINE FOR PRESTON
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TEMPE, Arizona (Ticker) -- Arizona State left the door open andSouthern California walked right in.


John David Booty threw for four touchdowns and ran in another asthe 11th-ranked Trojans posted a convincing 44-24 victory overthe No. 7 Sun Devils on Thursday night.


Booty completed 26-of-39 passes for 375 yards to help USC (9-2,6-2 Pac-10) remain alive for an unprecedented sixth straightconference crown under coach Pete Carroll.


"We wanted to have a balanced attack like we usually do but thepassing game kind of opened itself up for us," Booty said."Don't get me wrong, I love having a game like this, but what isreally important is we got a big win on the road in a realmeaningful game that we had to get."


Southern California needs to defeat hated-rival UCLA next weekand have Oregon stumbled in one of its final two games to securea trip to the Rose Bowl.


"This was a really, really sweet win. We have been lookingforward to when we have everything together and everything goingin the right direction," Carroll said. "The guys now know whatthey can do. I have been ringing the bell in the locker roomfor a while now that it ain't over yet.


"We are in the playoff run and our guys have sensed it for acouple of weeks. This is what we shoot for to get to the RoseBowl, we have shot to be a champion again and will be very proudif we can accomplish that."


Arizona State entered with a chance of clinching at least ashare of the Pac-10 Conference title, but Booty and USC'soffense had other things in mind.


"We didn't play good and it is sad," Sun Devils coach DennisErickson said. "We should be disappointed but our players willbounce back. It won't be hard for us, but it hurts right now.We didn't play as good like I thought we would in a game likethis."


Kicker David Buehler's 20-yard field goal broke a 17-17 tie andBooty extended the lead with his one-yard scamper up the middleas the Trojans grabbed a 27-17 edge at intermission.

The senior signal-caller helped Southern Cal find the end zonetwice in the third with TD passes to Joe McKnight and Fred Davisto make it 44-17 after three quarters.


The Trojans had almost no fighting chance of even competing foranother Pac-10 crown after disappointing losses to Stanford andOregon.


"People have counted us out all year especially after the lossto Stanford," Booty said. "We just had so many injuries and wehad every team to shooting for us. We had a bullseye on ourback, but we know what we are all about."


USC's defense was also stellar in this one, collecting six sacksagainst quarterback Rudy Carpenter and held Arizona State'sground attack to just 15 yards.


"We have a lot of games where teams run quick outs and pitch andcatch and it is hard to be that defense that everyoneenvisioned," said USC defensive end Lawrence Jackson, who hadfour sacks. "Arizona State and Oregon State are NFL offenses,they drop back and that allows us to show the true nature of theathletes we have on defense. In games like this, you take thereward because of the offense they run."


Carpenter finished 21-of-30 for 241 yards and one score for theSun Devils (9-2, 6-2).


"The most disappointing thing for us is that a lot of theseguys, our whole dream is to play in the Rose Bowl," Carpentersaid. "We had that chance, and to lose it at home, it isfrustrating all around."


Arizona State's Rudy Burgess returned kickoff for 98 yards inthe first quarter, tying the game at 7-7.