BACK IN THE RACE USC IN TITLE PICTURE AGAIN AFTER ROUT OF OREGON.

Byline: SCOTT WOLF  Staff Writer

Finally, a not-so-close home game. USC showed its fans it could actually dominate an opponent at the Coliseum after an October full of not-so-pretty nail-biters and placed itself in its familiar November position.

But hey, who can remember that when USC coach Pete Carroll hurled a volley of expletives toward the referees after a reversal of a reversal gave Oregon a fourth-quarter touchdown?

That was far more exciting than the game itself, which provided little or no drama despite advance billing that this was the start of USC's toughest four-game stretch.

Carroll's short expletives to the officials at least got the sideline excited, if the fans were not getting a lot to cheer about.

``That was really out of line to be yapping like that. There's no excuse for it,'' Carroll said.

Otherwise, the No. 7-ranked Trojans routed No. 21-ranked Oregon 35-10 in front of 92,000 at the Coliseum to keep their national championship hopes alive.

By playing late Saturday, USC knew just about everyone else in the top 10 ahead of it lost earlier. Louisville already lost Thursday, while Texas and Auburn lost Saturday.

Even Florida won by a single point, which might help USC with the human polls in the BCS formula.

Those events enabled the Trojans to leap back into the Bowl Championship Series title-game picture. Ironically, Cal's loss to Arizona hurts USC because it lowers the Bears' computer ranking, which does not help the Trojans if they beat Cal next weekend.

Chauncey Washington's 43-yard touchdown run gave the Trojans a 28-3 lead with 1:47 left in the third quarter and put the game away, considering how inconsistent the Ducks' offense looked.

Oregon scored a touchdown with 13:59 left on a pass from Brady Leaf to Jonathan Stewart in the back of the end zone, but initially a replay official ruled Stewart was out of bounds on the fourth-down play. It appeared to be a cruel reversal against the Ducks, who famously benefited from a botched replay ruling in a win over Oklahoma and also got a favorable ruling in a victory over UCLA.

But then the Ducks challenged the call, and the decision was overturned. Oregon was awarded a touchdown to cut USC's lead to 28-10.

No matter the outcome, USC's playcalling left the Trojans open to criticism on at least one play, much to the chagrin of their fans.

USC averted disaster in the third quarter when Dwayne Jarrett threw a bad pass that was intercepted, but the Ducks were worse on the ensuing play when they fumbled a bad pitch and linebacker Dallas Sartz recovered at the Oregon 13-yard line.

That allowed Washington to score on a 3-yard run with 5:04 left in the period to expand the lead to 21-3.

Washington, who finished with 119 yards on 15 carries and three touchdowns, was a workhorse because of an injury to freshman tailback Emmanuel Moody, who tore ligaments in his left ankle and will be out for an undetermined amount of time.

``It was pretty severe,'' Moody said.

X-rays were negative.

Freshman C.J. Gable (Sylmar High) carried three times and gained just one yard, but did score a touchdown in the first half.

The game was unique for one reason. A momentous occasion took place with eight minutes left in the second quarter, when preseason All-American defensive end Lawrence Jackson recorded his firstsack of the season. He finished with three on the night.

The Ducks finally scored when Paul Martinez made a 22-yard field goal with 8:07 remaining in the third quarter to cut the Trojans' lead to 14-3. Martinez missed a 23-yarder in the first half.

Oregon's attempt to score a touchdown was set back when quarterback Dennis Dixon was injured on the series, forcing Leaf to run the final two plays before the field goal.

Oregon's spread-option offense gave USC fits on the opening series of the game, as the Ducks kept the ball for the first 7:28. But linebacker Oscar Lua, back in favor after Rey Maualuga's recent struggles, tackled Dixon for a loss on fourth-and-1 from the Trojans' 13.

It appeared the Trojans would seize the lead on the ensuing possession, driving to the Ducks' 15. But John David Booty's pass was intercepted by linebacker Blair Phillips, who returned it 36 yards.

USC scored with 12:22 left in the second quarter on a 2-yard run by Gable. The key play was a 19-yard pass from Booty to Steve Smith down to the Ducks' 3.

Oregon self-destructed immediately after the touchdown, as Dixon lofted a pass into double-coverage that safety Taylor Mays intercepted and returned 35 yards to the Oregon 7.

Washington scored on a 5-yard run to give the Trojans a 14-0 lead with 10:30 left before halftime.

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4 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) USC's Taylor Mays makes an interception during the second quarter of Saturday's game against Oregon.

(2 -- color) USC's Chauncey Washington heads for the end zone for a touchdown against Oregon in the third quarter.

(3) USC's Dwayne Jarrett gives Oregon defender Patrick Chung a stiff arm to the face during a long run after a reception.

(4) USC coach Pete Carrol yells to his defense during Saturday's game.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer