TROJANS ARE JUST HAPPY TO BE AT HOME CARROLL USES USC'S RETURN TO THE COLISEUM AS MOTIVATION.

Byline: Scott Wolf  Staff Writer

It's homecoming at USC, and the No. 1-ranked Trojans might feel like they were away as long as the alumni who return to campus today.

In a scheduling quirk, it's nearly November and USC played only two home games entering today's contest with Washington State at the Coliseum. USC spent four of the past five weeks on the road highlighted by emotional victories over Arizona State and Notre Dame and a more- impressive-by-the-day blowout of No. 14-ranked Oregon.

``It doesn't feel like we've been at home,'' quarterback Matt Leinart said. ``It seems like forever.''

It also seems like forever since USC lost at home. The Trojans ride a 23-game winning streak at the Coliseum and are three victories short of tying the Pacific-10 Conference record set by California from 1919-23.

Coming home was just one theme for USC coach Pete Carroll this week, who stressed to the Trojans the importance of homecoming and winning on homecoming before a sellout crowd.

``I've talked to the guys about homecoming and I know they know they don't appreciate it because they never left and came back,'' Carroll said. ``They will realize it when they are older.''

For the record, Carroll attended homecoming at his alma mater, University of the Pacific, just once, the year after he graduated but never returned again because of his coaching duties.

The flip side of feeling like roadkill the first seven games of the season is that USC doesn't leave the state the rest of the season, with only a quick trip to Cal next month.

``We get to go home after the game,'' Carroll said. ``That is fun stuff. We made it through that hard part of the season, now the finish is always the great challenge. The wonderful thing is we have a chance to do it at home. We are lucky.''

Carroll also got a gift Monday when the Bowl Championship Series rankings surprisingly showed USC dropped below Texas to No. 2 overall. It was essentially meaningless, because Texas currently has a perfect computer ranking that can only go down and the Trojans hold comfortable leads in both human polls, which comprise 67 percent of the BCS formula.

It all means the Trojans (7-0, 4-0) could regain the No. 1 spot as soon as Monday with a victory over the Cougars.

But Carroll got a chance to feign indignation to the Trojans, a prime motivational tactic. He smiled this week when asked if he would use the BCS as fodder to fire up the team.

``If you don't like it, then do something about it ... I wouldn't want to diminish somebody's psyche, if it helps them get jacked up,'' Carroll said.

Into this powerful setting steps plucky Washington State (3-4, 0-4), with three Pac-10 losses by a combined 10 points. Nevertheless, the Cougars are winless in their past four games and haven't won since Sept. 17.

``When we met as a staff somebody asked how are we going to attack USC?'' Cougars coach Bill Doba said. ``I said the best place to attack them would be in the tunnel before we get out on the field where we could get them confined.

``I know that the computer picked them No. 2, I am sure that didn't help us any, but we as a staff took a poll and we still think they are No. 1.''

Doba at least should provide entertainment for the Coliseum masses. He tried an onside kick to start last year's USC game, but it backfired when the ball went three yards. That said, Doba believes in taking risks against a team like the Trojans is a necessity.

``We wouldn't have a chance, otherwise,'' Doba said. ``To even be in the game, you have to play an extremely solid game and USC would have to help you.''

Doba also advocates changing the defense to adjust to USC tailback Reggie Bush, currently the frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy.

``The thing that scares us is a guy named Reggie Bush,'' Doba said. ``You've got to simplify your game plan. You can't go in with just your base defense. You have to make adjustments.''

Besides all the publicity for his big plays, Bush took pride this week in not fumbling this season, something that bothered him last year.

``I lost the ball too many times last season,'' Bush said. ``I've taken a lot from last year, and one of my main focuses is no fumbles.''

Scott Wolf, [phone]

scott.wolf(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

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Photo:

Containing Reggie Bush (5) is one of Washington State coach Bill Doba's goals today against the Trojans at the Coliseum.

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Box:

No. 1 USC VS. WASHINGTON ST.