THEY RIVAL NO OTHER TROJANS EYE ROSE, ORANGE BOWLS AFTER DOMINATING NOTRE DAME USC 44, NOTRE DAME 13.

Byline: Scott Wolf  Staff Writer

A couple decades passed since USC swept its arch rivals, but the manner in which the Trojans toyed with their two nemeses never had been seen by any generation.

After routing Notre Dame 44-13 in front of 91,432 at the Coliseum on Saturday night, the Trojans dispatched the Irish and UCLA with identical 31-point blowouts that made one wonder how it could have been 24 years since USC beat those teams back to back?

``Everyone talks about the rivalries. I guess rankings don't matter because we came out and destroyed these two teams,'' USC defensive end Omar Nazel said. ``I'm speechless.''

Well, almost speechless. Nazel barely could believe the season could end in storybook form, handing Notre Dame its worst loss since the famous 55-24 comeback in 1974, making those the two biggest victories ever in the history of the rivalry.

``It's a beautiful thing,'' Nazel said. ``A lot of people questioned what we would do this season. It's beautiful to end it with two spectacular wins.''

USC's 62-point margin of victory this season against UCLA and Notre Dame was the biggest recorded, surpassing the previous high of 56 in 1974.

The Trojans not only snapped a three-game losing streak to Notre Dame, they swept the Irish and UCLA for the first time since 1981 and swept them back-to-back for the first time since 1978.

The Trojans also amassed 610 yards offense, the most yards Notre Dame ever surrendered.

The only question after such an easy victory was where USC would play next. With officials from the Orange and Sugar bowls in attendance, the Trojans took a step forward toward securing a New Year's Day bowl berth. It now appears the No. 6-ranked Trojans will find themselves in either Miami for the Orange Bowl or Pasadena in the Rose Bowl.

``I don't think there's any question USC is in the picture,'' said Clark Cook, chairman of the Orange Bowl selection committee.

There was a popular belief the Trojans (10-2) would be bypassed by Notre Dame (10-2) when the Orange Bowl selects its at-large team, but Cook said the Trojans could end up in Miami thanks to some late lobbying Friday and Saturday by USC and the Pacific-10 Conference.

USC and the Pac-10 assured the Orange Bowl it could sell out the game, and purchase at least 25,000 tickets, if it selected the Trojans.

``It makes our decision easier,'' Cook said.

If USC moves up in the Bowl Championship Series standings and puts significant distance between itself and the seventh-ranked Irish, ``more than likely they would end up with us,'' Cook said.

Of course, if UCLA beats Washington State next Saturday, the Trojans will end up in the Rose Bowl.

Either would be fine with the Trojans, who were speculating in the locker room where they would go.

``Is it roses or oranges, I don know,'' USC wide receiver Kareem Kelly said.

``It ain't Sega,'' wide receiver Keary Colbert shot back, referring to last year's trip to the Sega Sports Las Vegas Bowl. ``It's something edible.''

None of it would be possible without Saturday's victory over the Irish. USC led 17-13 at halftime but shut out Notre Dame in the second half while the offense rolled.

Quarterback Carson Palmer completed 32 of 46 passes for 425 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions.

The performance, while not perfect, came before a nationally televised audience and should increase his image and prospects for the Heisman Trophy.

``I had two stupid interceptions and that may keep me out of it,'' Palmer said. ``But whatever. I'm happy.''

USC coach Pete Carroll begged to differ on how the game affected Palmer's Heisman hopes.

``Carson did everything he needed to do,'' Carroll said.

Palmer engineered the game's turning point, when the Trojans drove 75 yards for a touchdown in only 62 seconds to end the first half. The touchdown gave USC a 17-13 lead it never relinquished and deprived Notre Dame of any momentum, especially after the Irish had just taken a 13-10 lead on a blocked punt.

``When the offense scored right before the half, we could tell they were frustrated,'' cornerback Marcell Allmond said. ``We don't walk to the tunnel, we run and they walked.''

Palmer completed 5 of 6 passes on the drive, including a 19-yard pass to Mike Williams with only five seconds left in the half. Tailback Justin Fargas caught three passes for 37 yards and ran once for 11 yards on the drive.

The touchdown offset a disastrous possession before that, when USC punter Tom Malone's kick was blocked by linebacker Carlos Pierre-Antoine, who recovered it for a touchdown to give the Irish a 13-10 lead with 1:07 left.

Fargas rushed for 81 yards on nine carries in the half, including a 47-yard run that set up USC's first touchdown, when Palmer found Williams uncovered on a 6-yard score that gave the Trojans a 7-6 lead.

Ryan Killeen added a 22-yard field goal to make it 10-6 before Pierre-Antoine blocked the punt.

The second half was all USC. Palmer threw two touchdown passes to Malaefou MacKenzie, and Sultan McCullough added a scoring run. Killeen had two field goals.

It was all enough to stump Notre Dame coach Tyrone Willingham, who was asked how the Irish had only four first downs.

``I have no explanation for it,'' he said.

But he did have an answer ready when asked whether the Irish deserve to be in a BCS bowl, even though they will not finish high enough in the standings to earn an automatic bid.

``Yes, I can make a case to the BCS,'' Willingham said. ``We played 12 games, we won 10 of them. This game is not a true indicator of what kind of team we can be. Our team had a heck of a season. Now we have to be patient and wait until someone makes a decision.''

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Carson Palmer, who passed for 425 yards and four touchdowns, hoists the Shillelagh that goes to the annual winner of the USC-Notre Dame game.

(2) USC quarterback Carson Palmer dives through three Notre Dame defenders Saturday at the Coliseum.

Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer