BOOTY ACTS LIKE A WINNER QB GIVES AIR OF CALM IN USC'S WIN USC 28, WASHINGTON STATE 22.

Byline: SCOTT WOLF  Staff Writer

PULLMAN, Wash. -- With a hostile crowd and a down-to-the-wire game, USC quarterback John David Booty dug down and found a hidden talent Saturday night.

With the Trojans clinging to a late lead, Booty became a leader, and uh, an actor. He felt some serious jitters but he wouldn't let his teammates see them.

``If I look nervous, they will get nervous,'' Booty said. ``At times, yeah, a lot of being a quarterback is acting.''

Booty not only gave an Academy Award-worthy performance for his teammates, he fooled Washington State's defense, passing for 269 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Trojans to a 28-22 victory in front of 35,117 at Martin Stadium.

It was one of those oh-so-close upsets that USC dodged, with Booty deftly picking apart the Cougars' defense, especially on third-and-fourth down.

``That's what I'm trying to do, keep guys calm,'' Booty said. ``We've got a lot of first-year starters.''

It was something even the most veteran players, like center Ryan Kalil, recognized afterward.

``John David kept us poised out there and lets us believe in him,'' Kalil said. ``That's worth a lot.''

Not that USC (4-0 overall, 2-0 Pac-10) failed to realize it escaped a near-disaster, especially when the Trojans fumbled three times.

``No more of those games,'' offensive tackle Kyle Williams said as he walked off the field. ``It was a nail-biter.''

It could have been a lot worse, but USC wide receiver Steve Smith made up for the absence of Dwayne Jarrett with the best game of his career. Smith caught 11 passes for 186 yards, with both marks a personal record.

``I told everyone I wanted 150 yards today, and Booty did a good job responding,'' Smith said. ``I was in his head. The coaches make the calls but he's the main guy. He said during the game, `I know you're mad,' and I said `I'm not mad.' ''

There were several moments when USC got a little lucky, notably when safety Allen Bradford fumbled a kickoff at the 17-yard line but fullback Mike Brittingham recovered with the Trojans clinging to a 21-15 lead. Or when punter Greg Woidneck, standing at his own 25-yard line, leaped high in the air to snag a high snap with the Trojans ahead 28-22.

``I hopped about as high as Woidneck,'' USC coach Pete Carroll said. ``That was an eyelash within being over his head.''

Those plays, along with a fumble by wide receiver Patrick Turner in his first start, illustrated the growing pains USC have gone through this season.

``The young guys were in some situations and made some mistakes, but those guys will grow through that,'' Carroll said. ``We're going to keep calling on them. This is a program that needs experiences to grow.''

Those mistakes were probably forgotten because Booty-to-Smith became a staple, especially on two huge plays in the second half. On fourth-and-10 at the Cougars' 36, Booty completed a 16-yard pass to Smith that led to a 7-yard touchdown pass to Smith and 21-12 lead.

In the fourth quarter, Booty found Smith on a fourth-and-2 situation, which led to an 11-yard touchdown pass between the duo for a 28-15advantage.

``I was talking to the coach, giving him routes (on fourth down),'' Smith said.

If there was anything surprising, it was Washington State's insistence on allowing Smith to roam so freely. The Cougars (3-2, 1-1) were intent on stopping the run, but any time Smith went inside, he found a linebacker covering him.

``They were daring us to run the ball,'' offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin said. ``Their safeties were trying to stop the run. That's why so many of our big plays were over the middle.''

It's a good thing the offense discovered its rhythm, because the defense, described in mythic proportions by some observers following the Arizona game, looked quite mortal against the pass Saturday night.

The secondary got its first real test and performed inconsistently, with the cornerbacks all getting exploited by Washington State quarterback Alex Brink.

Even with the Cougars missing two starters on the offensive line, Brink never got sacked.

The defense did rise to the occasion on the game's final possession, but with the odds stacked in its favor. Washington State got the ball at its 23 with 1:04 remaining and no timeouts.

The Cougars got to the USC 39 with six seconds left, when Brink lofted a prayer that USC safety Taylor Mays intercepted as time expired.

``If I would have tipped it up in the air, I'd get killed,'' Mays said.

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3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- ran in Final edition only) USC quarterback John David Booty passed for 269 yards and three touchdowns.

(2 -- ran in Valley edition only) WSU's Cody Boyd, left, catches a pass despite pressure from USC's Rey Maualuga.

Elain Thompson/Associated Press

(3 -- ran in Valley edition only) USC receiver Steve Smith, left, tries to get past Washington State's Don Turner in the second quarter. Smith had 11 catches for 186 yards and two TDs.

Joe Barrentine/Associated Press