NORTHWEST VICTORY TRAIL USC LOSS THERE TURNED IT AROUND.

Byline: Scott Wolf Staff Writer

PULLMAN, Wash. - Water freezes at 32 degrees but USC linebacker Matt Grootegoed doesn't remember the chilly night temperatures here having much impact after the Trojans' overtime loss to Washington State two years ago.

``Guys were crying in the locker room,'' Grootegoed. ``The tears were flowing.

``They were distraught. That game was more emotional than usual, maybe the most that I can remember. That might have been a turning point.''

The loss to the Cougars didn't seem too unusual at the time. USC dropped to 3-2 overall and 9-8 in Pete Carroll's first 1 1/2 seasons. But that game's significance has grown increasingly because of what the Trojans have accomplished since.

``We thought that was going to be a loss that really hurt us but it turned our season around,'' Grootegoed said.

USC is 27-1 since last visiting Martin Stadium and for the first time comes to the Palouse as the nation's top-ranked team.

``It is a lot of games to win, we're real proud of that,'' Carroll said.

About the only more impressive streak, perhaps to Carroll's chagrin, is the New England Patriots' current roll of 21 consecutive victories. But USC doesn't play in the NFL, so Carroll doesn't need to worry about his former team - or at least worry about playing them.

Returning to Martin Stadium today, even as 24-point favorites, doesn't mean the Trojans (7-0, 4-0) aren't acutely aware of the bitterness they experienced two years ago.

``We were so close,'' Grootegoed said. ``We had a bad game and were still so close. I didn't like that feeling.''

Carroll remembers the game because it barely resembles any of those 27 victories.

``It was different because we were ahead in that game and didn't get it done,'' he said. ``It was hard watching the film. (The pain) doesn't go away. It's a long time ago though and there's only a handful of defensive guys still around.''

Only three defensive starters (Grootegoed, Shaun Cody, Mike Patterson) return from that game and more starkly, one offensive starter (Alex Holmes).

To illustrate how much things have changed, USC started William Buchanan at cornerback against the Cougars. He's since become a reserve receiver.

The other memorable aspect was the crowd. Although just under 37,000 attended the game, the noise surprised the Trojans.

``It was a hostile stadium, for a crowd like that, it gets louder than you'd expect,'' Grootegoed said. ``I warned (the younger players) about that kind of stuff this week.''

At a certain point, though, one has to wonder if it matters. Washington State (3-4, 1-3) is dropping fast in the Pacific-10 Conference standings and is only a shell of the team that has challenged USC for the conference title the past two years.

``We've lost a couple (of) tackles, a quarterback, both tight ends,'' Cougars coach Bill Doba said. ``I'm not trying to alibi. We've had an inordinate amount of injuries. We've also started to play some better teams lately.

``It's the first time we've had a No. 1 team to Martin Stadium. I think we have to look at it as having everything to gain and nothing to lose. We need to relax and try some things we haven't tried before. And really, USC has to help us. They have to make mistakes.''

Although Carroll points out how few USC players remained from two years ago, Doba can go one better. He lost nine defensive starters from last year's game at the Coliseum, including his entire defensive line.

``USC has to throw incompletions or throw passes at us so we can get turnovers,'' Doba said. ``If they play at the top of their game, it will be very difficult for us to win.''

The Cougars don't even have their regular quarterback. Josh Swogger broke his foot two weeks ago and freshman Alex Brink made his first career start last week. He wasn't bad, passing for 209 yards against Oregon State, but he's playing for the second-youngest team in the conference.

Washington State was 1 for 14 on third-down conversions against Oregon State, and hardly resembled the team that won 30 games from 2001 to 2003.

``We're going to need some luck,'' Doba said.

Scott Wolf, [phone]

scott.wolf(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) USC linebacker Matt Grootegoed remembered that the loss two years ago at Washington State was ``a turning point.''

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer

(2) Freshman Alex Brink, left, tries to get away from Joe Lemma en route to a 209-yard effort in his first career start last week for the injured Josh Swogger.

Greg Wahl-Stephens/Associated Press

Box:

No. 1 USC at WASHINGTON ST.