FOR MOTIVATION, USC NEEDS TO PUT FORTH FULL GAME.

Byline: Scott Wolf Daily News Staff Writer

USC's toughest opponent Saturday at the Coliseum might not be Oregon State, but complacency.

It's an obvious concern when facing a perennial Pacific-10 Conference doormat that lost its season opener by three touchdowns to someone off Cal State Northridge's schedule.

The approach for the Trojans this week is to play 60 motivated minutes against the Beavers, who lost their opener 35-14 to Division I-AA Montana.

``It's definitely different (this week) because everybody says they're not a good team,'' linebacker Mark Cusano said. ``I think that's why the coaches are on us. In our meetings they didn't say `good job.' It was, `You still haven't played a good fourth quarter.' ''

USC has yet to play a meaningful final period this season and that has become its motivation.

The Trojans wilted against Penn State in the opener and every starter watched from the sidelines during the fourth quarter of the 52-point victory over Illinois.

But keeping the Trojans on edge could be difficult against a team that hasn't beaten them since 1967. USC has outscored Oregon State 416-95 in their past 10 meetings.

Another goal this week is pitching a shutout. Some coaches are saying that allowing any points would be like losing.

``Sometimes it's hard to step up to certain challenges,'' fullback Travis Hall said. ``A lot of guys were like, `They lost to Montana? Who's Montana?' That's a perfect lesson for us to learn. You can't take anyone lightly.''

USC coach John Robinson pointed out this week that this is the Trojans' first back-to-back game of the season.

``If we don't learn how to prepare week-to-week, then we're headed for those flat games,'' Robinson said. ``You learn that performance is not automatic.''

But is that a strong enough message for college players, coming off the high of an impressive road blowout?

``Some of the people that have been here four years will probably think, `I'm sure we'll beat Oregon State, let's go through the motions,' '' Cusano said. ``I'm sure we'll get slapped early.''

But other players believe recent history is enough to keep everyone sharp. Although the series is lopsided, USC's last two games with Oregon State, both in Corvallis, were not effortless.

In 1994, USC defeated Oregon State 27-19. Last year, the Trojans won 28-10.

Last season's victory clinched the Rose Bowl, but the unexpected difficulty tempered the celebration.

``We couldn't even get excited because we played a lousy game,'' Cusano said.

Quarterback Brad Otton, who played in those games, said younger players already have been warned about the danger of taking Oregon State lightly.

``We've already told them. They already know,'' Otton said. ``We have some things (to say). Oregon State played us tough the last two years. We know what we're in for.''

Otton is the least likely to scoff at Oregon State's loss to Montana, the defending Division I-AA champion, who plays Northridge on Nov. 2 in a Big Sky Conference matchup.

``I've lost to Montana myself,'' he said, referring to his freshman year at Weber State.

The defense probably has an advantage over the offense, because it has been kept alert preparing for Oregon State's option offense.

``Oregon State is a good team, they just run the wrong offense to be successful,'' defensive tackle Darrell Russell said.

Russell was a prominent player in the past two Oregon State games and doesn't think USC will be complacent.

``Although they get beat a lot, we haven't been that successful against them,'' he said.

That said, could it have been a mere coincidence that USC had a poor practice Tuesday, its first of the week to prepare for the Beavers.

``That was a pretty lousy practice,'' Hall said. ``Everybody was just going through the motions.''

Hall, a senior, said one of the top goals for the veterans is to make sure everybody stays sharp mentally this week. He also thinks Oregon State has its own motivation now that it has been embarrassed.

``I'll bet they play the hardest they've ever played,'' Hall said. ``Oregon State's looking to kick our butts in our own home.''