University Southern California Trojans
Trojans Open Pac-10 Play In Matchup with Ducks
September 18, 2001 | Football
Sept. 18, 2001
Oregon looks to extend its school-record home winning streak to 23 when it faces Southern California on Saturday in the conference opener for both teams.
The seventh-ranked Ducks (2-0), coming off a bye week, extended their winning streak at Autzen Stadium to 22 with a 24-10 win over Utah on Sept. 8.
Oregon, undefeated after two games for the first time in three seasons, has been led by quarterback Joey Harrington.
Harrington has completed 39 of 74 passes for 497 yards, and has thrown four touchdown passes while also rushing for a score.
The 6-foot-4 senior is 16-2 as a starter in his career at Oregon, and is tied with Dan Fouts for most touchdown passes in school history with 37.
Oregon coach Mike Bellotti has been happy with the play of Harrington, but said the quarterback - and the team - need to step up the pace to live up to their ranking and the talk of a national title.
"I don't know about a national championship," Bellotti said. "We have our hands full from week to week. All we can do is win."
The Ducks, whose last home loss was a 39-31 defeat to UCLA on Oct. 11, 1997, play their next three contests on the road following Saturday's game.
USC (1-1), also idle last week, is itching to get back on the field after a 10-6 loss to No. 12 Kansas State at the Los Angeles Coliseum on Sept. 8.
The Trojans defense was strong, holding the Wildcats to 26 passing yards, the fewest by a USC opponent since Oregon State had no yards in 1993.
That kept the Trojans in the game until the final minutes, but with 2:33 remaining, quarterback Carson Palmer fumbled at the Kansas State 24-yard line. The Wildcats then marched to the USC 15, running the clock down to a second before turning the ball over on downs.
It was the first college loss for the Trojans' Pete Carroll, the longtime NFL coach who took the USC job last December.
"We had a real chance," Carroll said. "That opportunity was there right at the end of the fourth quarter, just like you draw it up. But we didn't finish it."
Saturday marks the Trojans' first road game of 2001, and USC plays four of its next six contests away from home.
USC leads the all-time series with Oregon 33-14-2, but the Ducks have won three straight and four of the last five.
