SC KEY PLAYER: COLBERT CATCHES HIS SHARE OF GLORY.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

PASADENA - Mike Williams' one-handed touchdown reception against Oregon State this season will be remembered as one of the most remarkable catches in USC history, and with good reason.

Only a sophomore, Williams was a consensus first-team All-American this season, was eighth in the Heisman Trophy voting and surely will go on to a successful NFL career. But in Thursday's Rose Bowl game, it was time for the consistent, dependable - and yes, at times even spectacular - Keary Colbert to take his turn in the spotlight.

Colbert's one-handed catch on a 47-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Matt Leinart not only was the exclamation point on Colbert's record-setting career, but it gave the Trojans a commanding 21-0 lead in the third quarter on their way to a 28-14 victory over Michigan.

Three plays before the catch, Colbert caught a 19-yard pass from Leinart on the Trojans' first possession of the second half. It was career catch No. 205, passing Kareem Kelly on the Trojans' all-time list.

But No. 206 was significantly more memorable. With Michigan's pass defense understandably concerned with Williams, Colbert found himself with single coverage on second-and-10 from the Michigan 47.

Colbert began to break away from cornerback Jeremy LeSueur, so LeSueur grabbed Colbert's left arm. Turns out, Colbert didn't need it.

Pass interference was called on the play, but Colbert caught the ball anyway, reaching out with his right arm, hauling in the ball before breaking free from LeSueur's grasp and waltzing into the end zone.

``I stole that from Mike Williams,'' Colbert said. ``I didn't know it was one-handed until somebody told me. But (Williams') catch was definitely better.''

Williams disagreed.

``His was better than mine,'' Williams said. ``It was a big-time play. It came at a time (Michigan) was trying to get back in the game. But we came out and established ourselves at the start of the second half.''

Colbert caught six passes for 149 yards (a career high) and two touchdowns, the other touchdown coming on a 25-yard play to open the game's scoring in the first quarter. That touchdown drive set the tone for the game, as USC needed only four plays to score on its first possession, Leinart going 4 for 4 for 54 yards, including two passes to Colbert.

But it was the third-quarter catch that had his coaches gushing after the game.

``That's a catch, as far as SC is concerned, that's the one we'll remember forever,'' USC coach Pete Carroll said. ``Because that was the one that separated us. That showed that we could come back and get started in the third quarter. I think that was the one that separated the game.''

Colbert, who became the 17th player in Rose Bowl history to catch two touchdown passes, nearly had another touchdown catch but lost control of the ball when hit by two Michigan defenders in the end zone on a second-quarter pass play.

``I felt like I had it, but I should have squeezed it tighter,'' Colbert said. ``I really thought I had it in my arms. ... I feel we could have put up more points on the board, we had a lot of opportunities. But the main thing is we won the game.''

Joe Haakenson, [phone]

joe.haakenson(at)sgvn.com

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Receiver Keary Colbert caught six passes for a career-high 149 yards and two touchdowns for the Trojans.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer

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