BUNGLED CALLS ALL AROUND : BOTH TEAMS BENEFIT FROM OFFICIATING.

Byline: Scott Wolf Daily News Staff Writer

It could have been a play that joined USC football lore alongside Charles White's disputed touchdown in the 1979 Rose Bowl, or Michael Harper's phantom touchdown against Notre Dame in 1982.

And it could have been a call that haunted Arizona State fans forever, if the Sun Devils had not escaped with a 48-35 double-overtime victory over USC on Saturday.

But fortunately for the officials who incorrectly credited USC wide receiver Chris Miller with a touchdown reception in the fourth quarter, they were anything but biased. They also blew the game's final call and awarded a touchdown to Arizona State.

Pacific-10 Conference officiating has certainly had better days.

``Sometimes (the game) was overofficiated,'' USC coach John Robinson said in a mild understatement.

Things got off to a rocky start in the second quarter when a questionable intentional-grounding call went against USC wide receiver Mike Bastianelli, who was looking to pass on a trick play.

But that paled in comparison to the fourth-quarter gaffe.

USC quarterback Brad Otton threw a 29-yard pass to Miller in the corner of the end zone. Miller dropped the ball and it bounced to the ground. He picked it up off the grass and was somehow awarded a touchdown that gave USC a 21-14 lead.

``The calling official (Richard Schnell) saw the receiver had possession, his foot hit the ground and then lost the ball,'' said referee Jim Fogltance, the only official who would speak with the media.

Miller agreed that he caught the pass.

``I caught the ball. (The cornerback) just knocked it out of my hand. I came down with it. It was a touchdown in my eyes,'' he said.

Arizona State had reason to be upset at that call, but the Sun Devils were recipients of poor judgment in the second overtime.

With USC trailing 42-35, Otton tried a shovel pass. The ball bounced toward running back LaVale Woods and should have been ruled an incomplete pass. Instead, none of the officials saw the play clearly and no one blew the whistle.

Arizona State's Courtney Jackson, the cornerback burned on Miller's controversial touchdown, picked up the ball and ran 85 yards for a touchdown. Most of the USC players stood around, thinking it was an incomplete pass.

``I thought it was a pass,'' Jackson said. ``I looked at the ref, he gave me a look like he was saying, `I didn't blow the whistle,' so I ran.''

``I don't know who called that. He . . . blew it,'' Otton screamed at the officials as he passed them on his way to the locker room.

Asked if the officials responded, Otton said, ``They were too busy running off the field.''

``He threw the ball,'' USC offensive coordinator Mike Riley said. ``He's thrown it like that many times.''

Although Robinson refused to blame the officials after the game, it is a safe bet he is tired of hearing Pac-10 crews say they were out of position to make a call.

Two weeks ago, USC lost a potential touchdown against California when Delon Washington fumbled at the goal line. Replays indicated Washington hit the ground first and then lost the ball, but the officials told Robinson they could not see the play.

Still, he wouldn't take the bait following the demoralizing loss to Arizona State.

``The game wasn't the officials,'' Robinson said, ``or the crowd. The key to the game was (Jake Plummer) just kept getting better.''

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Photo

Photo: USC's Chris Claiborne (55) turns upfield after inter cepting a Jake Plummer pass in the opening minutes.

Associated Press