COLLEGE FOOTBALL: OPENING WEEKEND TROJANS GO HOG WILD, AGAIN NEW-LOOK USC DEALS ARKANSAS SECOND STRAIGHT BLOWOUT USC 50, ARKANSAS 14.

Byline: SCOTT WOLF  Staff Writer

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- The names changed but the results were virtually the same for USC, which went into a hostile Southeastern Conference stadium and showed no signs of slowing down despite its inexperience.

Quarterback John David Booty, average through much of training camp, came of age in the third quarter as the sixth-ranked Trojans rolled past punchless Arkansas 50-14 before a Razorback Stadium record crowd of 76,564.

No matter what else happened Saturday night, Booty and freshman C.J. Gable (Sylmar High) demonstrated that USC's transition period could be shorter than expected, with a new quarterback and running back.

And Booty should probably thank USC coach Pete Carroll, who ordered his assistants to open up the offense in the second half.

``I was encouraging the (offensive coaches), saying `Let's go,''' Carroll said. ``We were playing safe early on.''

Booty enjoyed getting the green light. He moved the offense with ease in the third quarter, when he completed 9 of 10 passes for 102 yards and two touchdowns. Overall, he was 24 of 35 for 261 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.

By comparison, Matt Leinart completed 17 of 30 passes for 192 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions in his first start at Auburn.

``John David was just the way we hoped,'' Carroll said. ``He handled it beautifully.''

Booty agreed the third quarter was his breakthrough.

``I think so,'' he said. ``Early on, I was playing too fast. In the second half, I was really able to slow down and get into a rhythm. Some people doubted us but they didn't know what we have.''

Gable gained 51 yards on 12 carries against Arkansas' first-team defense and ran tough despite his smallish size and the fact holes were not always noticeable. Chauncey Washington (55 yards, eight carries) and Emmanuel Moody (58 yards, seven carries) also did well.

``We forced five turnovers and committed none, all those young guys carried the ball the way they should,'' Carroll said.

It should be noted Arkansas' offense bordered on anemic, and sent fans filing home after three quarters. The Razorbacks' offense did not look any better than during last year's 70-17 USC rout.

And Razorbacks coach Houston Nutt will not be popular today after freshman quarterback Mitch Mustain showed more promise in his first series than starter Robert Johnson in more than three quarters.

Mustain quickly led Arkansas (0-1) to a touchdown in the fourth quarter, but it was far too late to change the outcome.

Not even a record crowd could affect the Trojans.

``This was really, really pleasing,'' Carroll said. ``It was a tough environment but it didn't faze us at all.''

But for USC (1-0), Booty and Gable (along with tight end Fred Davis) were the stars of the night, and gave the offense enough punch to look formidable for future opponents, such as 20th-ranked Nebraska in two weeks at the Coliseum.

``We hurt ourselves early, but we just came back and kept playing,'' Booty said. ``It's always good to have big targets like our receivers.''

Booty added a 1-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Powdrell in the fourth quarter to continue the offensive onslaught and give the Trojans a 37-7 lead. That came on the heels of ending the third quarter with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Davis that made it 30-7.

In garbage time, freshman tailback Moody showed his quickness with a 24-yard run and scored a touchdown to give USC its biggest lead at 44-7.

While the game was in doubt, however, it looked like Booty would be just average after USC kept things conservative for a half. But the play-calling loosened up in the third quarter as Booty threw a 26-yard completion to Steve Smith and a 14-yard touchdown pass to Patrick Turner on the first possession of the quarter to give the Trojans a 22-7 advantage.

``We've been working hard all summer and we just came out here to do what we do,'' wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett said.

Overall, the first half was reminiscent of Leinart's first college game three years ago at Auburn: Serviceable but not spectacular. That changed in the second half. Booty did not enjoy much success downfield but completed most of his passes to Davis, who caught three passes for 25 yards in the first half.

Jarrett and Smith were nearly non-existent until the last series, when Smith caught his only two passes of the half and Jarrett caught one of his two.

The Razorbacks could have provided a stiffer test, not getting their second first down until 6:30 remained. They also made things easier than expected at times, as Arkansas tailback Felix Jones self- destructed with two fumbles in the first half, which led to 10 USC points. His second fumble was forced by defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis and recovered by cornerback Kevin Thomas, who returned it to the Razorbacks' 3-yard line.

Gable scored his first touchdown on a 3-yard run for a 10-0lead with 13:12 left in the first half.

Gable then gained 28 yards in three carries to set up a 38-yard field goal by Mario Danelo and a 13-0 lead with 7:41 left. Danelo then added a 44-yard field goal as the half ended to give the Trojans a 16-7 advantage.

For those keeping score, USC now has won 46 of its past 48 games.

[e-mail]

[phone]

CAPTION(S):

5 photos, 6 boxes

Photo:

(1 -- color) In his debut as USC's starting quarterback, John David Booty had three touchdown passes.

April L. Brown/Associated Press

(2) USC tailback C.J. Gable celebrates in the end zone after scoring a touchdown against Arkansas on Saturday.

(3) USC head coach Pete Carroll is all smiles after the Trojans blew out Arkansas for the second year in a row.

Brian Bahr/Getty Images

(4) USC's Fred Davis leaps over Arkansas safety Randy Kelly.

Danny Johnston/Associated Press

(5) USC quarterback John David Booty

Box:

(1) BY THE NUMBERS

(2) THEY SAID IT

(3) THE HERO

(4) THE GOAT

(5) STAT OF THE GAME

(6) USC (1-0) LOG