COLLEGE FOOTBALL: USC clamps down on Cal

Well, so much for that vaunted California offense. The No. 7 USC Trojans were the second consecutive team to hold the No. 24 Golden Bears to just a field goal, thumping Cal 30-3 in yesterday’s premier Pac-10 game.

Prior to the season, Cal was given a top-15 ranking and a legitimate shot by many to finally break USC’s nearly decade-long perch atop the conference standings. Tailback Jahvid Best was even getting some hype as a potential dark-horse Heisman candidate.

However, losing two straight conference games by a combined score of 72-6 has sent Cal into a tailspin. Opposing defenses are loading up on Best (only 47 yards on 14 carries against the Trojans) and forcing quarterback Kevin Riley to make plays. Simply put, Riley isn’t making them.

The junior was held to 15-40 passing for 199 yards and a pick -- just a dreadful day, considering how much single-coverage USC employed in order to keep extra eyes on Best.

The Trojans got freshman Matt Barkley back into a rhythm early in the game, then rode a big day from Joe McKnight (20 carries, 119 yards, two TDs). It’ll be key for USC to continue to get days like that out of McKnight, with fellow tailback Stafon Johnson still recuperating from that horrific weightlifting accident last week.

It appears as if the Trojans are poised to follow last year’s formula -- an early upset loss to a middle-of-the-pack Pac-10 school (last year was Oregon State, this year was Washington) to take them off the National Championship radar, followed by the defense rounding into one of the nation’s most fearsome units.

As for Cal, it’s back to the drawing board. Jeff Tedford needs to find somebody -- anybody -- to help take the pressure off Best and for the defense to make a stop. Oregon and USC moved the ball seemingly at will the last two weeks.

STANFORD 24, UCLA 16: After losing five straight to the Bruins, the Cardinal finally snapped that skid and now stakes its claim as the unlikely Pac-10 leaders.

With all the hype that has surrounded Best to start the year, Stanford’s Toby Gerhart has quietly developed into the Pac-10’s most bruising rusher, picking up 134 yards on 29 carries and scoring three times. While Best, OSU’s Jacquizz Rodgers and UA’s own Nic Grigsby might be the Pac-10’s home-run hitters, Gerhart might be the steadiest of the bunch. He’s not the type of guy who’ll wow scouts holding a stop watch, but he almost never goes down after the first hit. He’s a beast.

With Gerhart’s rushing giving Stanford more than an eight-minute time of possession advantage, the Cardinal simply wore down the Bruins, building a three-score lead by the end of the third quarter.

UCLA’s defense (especially its secondary) is still among the conference’s best, but Rick Neuheisel’s squad still can’t seem to find any sort of rhythm on offense. Senior Kevin Craft put together a few nice drives, but UCLA constantly stalled in the red zone, leading to three close-range field goals that could’ve been touchdowns.

OREGON 52, WASHINGTON STATE 6: The rumors surrounding a possible LaGarrette Blount reinstatement did little to distract the suddenly red-hot Ducks yesterday, as Jeremiah Masoli and crew stomped the hapless Cougars.

Oregon held Wazzu to 51 yards passing on only eight completions. Heck, even a wishbone offense like Air Force completes more than eight passes in a game.

Oregon racked up 318 yards on the ground and was never challenged. For a team that appeared dead in the water after that dreadful showing at Boise State, the Ducks are suddenly right there with Stanford for the Pac-10 lead.

OREGON STATE 28, ARIZONA STATE 17: If there’s anything that can make an Arizona fan happy on a bye week, it’s an ASU loss.

The Sun Devils fell behind early, as Jacquizz Rodgers put his stamp on the game quickly, scoring two first-quarter touchdowns on his way to 81 yards rushing. His wideout brother, James, scored, as well.

Arizona State’s stout defense allowed only 295 total yards, but Oregon State made its possessions count, and benefited from some strong punt returns from James Rodgers.

Oregon State snaps a two-game home losing streak by stealing one in Tempe. Arizona State didn’t quite find a rhythm until it was too late. Perhaps the Sun Devils were still stinging from that lost opportunity at Georgia last week.

NOTRE DAME 37, WASHINGTON 30: In the only non-conference match-up involving a Pac-10 team, the Huskies found themselves in a shootout with the resurgent Irish, losing a heartbreaker in overtime.

Jake Locker had his typically solid game running and throwing the ball (even if his accuracy still leaves something to be desired), but he was no match for Jimmy Clausen’s 422 pass yards, with more than half of them going to Golden Tate (nine catches, 244 yards, one TD).

After going winless in 2008, it would’ve been quite a coup for this program to take down USC and Notre Dame in the same year, but the Huskies fell one play short.

AROUND THE TOP 25: No. 4 LSU barely survived against No. 18 Georgia, but Charles Scott’s mad dash near the end of the fourth quarter gave the Tigers a 20-13 lead. With the win, LSU will face off against No. 1 Florida next week in what is sure to be one of those epic SEC heavyweight battles (CBS, 5 p.m.).

Michigan State stunned No. 22 Michigan in overtime, 26-20. The Wolverines’ Tate Forcier threw two late touchdown passes to give his team a shot, but it was MSU’s Charles Rucker’s interception in the end zone on Michigan’s first overtime possession that set up Larry Caper’s 23-yard touchdown run to win it. The Spartans now have back-to-back wins over the Wolverines -- the first time that’s happened in 42 years.

And in the only other big upset of the day, No. 21 Miami continues to re-establish itself as a national power, squeaking past No. 8 Oklahoma 21-20.

Sophomore sensation Jacory Harris looked terrible early, throwing two first-quarter picks, but he rallied back to throw three TD passes, while the defense stifled Oklahoma’s offense on nearly every one of its fourth-quarter possessions.

Defending Heisman champ Sam Bradford watched this one from the sidelines, still nursing that shoulder injury he suffered in the season-opening loss against BYU. If Bradford can get healthy, the No. 8 (and soon to be falling) Sooners still have a shot at contending for the Big 12 crown, as both of these losses were out of conference. But those National Title hopes might be up in smoke.