TROJANS COUGH ONE UP; USC TAKES 31-10 LEAD, THEN GIVES GAME TO CAL : CAL 32, USC 31.

Byline: Scott Wolf Daily News Staff Writer

It took six games, but USC coach Paul Hackett finally demonstrated he has something in common with predecessor John Robinson.

The Trojans still can blow games against clearly inferior opponents.

Despite holding a 21-point lead deep into the third quarter, the 19th-ranked Trojans completely collapsed and were upset by California 32-31 before 65,678 at the Coliseum on Saturday night.

It was reminiscent of Cal's unexpected victory over USC two years ago, and several other games during the Robinson era when the Trojans were caught flat-footed by lesser teams.

USC led 31-10 in the third period before the Bears reeled off 22 consecutive points. Marcus Fields' 3-yard run with 3:30 remaining in the game capped the surge and gave Cal its first lead of the day.

The loss devastated a USC team that had been brimming with confidence just a week ago after defeating Arizona State.

``This was bad tonight. It was a huge disappointment,'' Hackett said. ``We had a game we could have won and didn't do it.

``We couldn't dodge the bullet. The penalty issue overwhelmed us. We've got to address the penalty issue.''

USC (4-2, 2-1) had nine penalties for 89 yards and has committed 56 in the past five games.

And one penalty clearly made the difference between winning and losing for the Trojans.

With USC leading 31-18 in the fourth quarter, Petros Papadakis appeared to break loose on a 58-yard touchdown run.

But wide receiver Larry Parker was flagged for blocking Cal's Nate Geldermann in the side of the back, nearly 20 yards behind the play and about the same time Papadakis reached the end zone.

The touchdown was called back, and USC was put on Cal's 32-yard line. Two players later, quarterback Carson Palmer completed a short pass to tight end Antoine Harris, but Cal's Albert Dorsey stripped the ball from Harris. Safety Damian Marzett picked up the loose ball and went 40 yards.

In the span of two plays, the Trojans lost a touchdown, possession of the ball and their momentum.

``I wasn't really aware that (the penalty) was called 'till like 30 seconds later,'' Papadakis said. ``I heard the ref say something like it was a block in the back. It's nothing you can fault a guy for.''

Hackett, who was racing down the sideline watching Papadakis' run, never saw the infraction.

``I was absolutely stunned that anything happened at all,'' Hackett said. ``It doesn't matter now.''

Cal coach Tom Holmoe appeared the most convinced that Parker committed an infraction.

``With a guy going free, you just can't block from behind. It was obvious,'' Holmoe said. ``Flags were coming from all points in the compass.''

Even after Cal (4-1, 2-0) scored to cut the lead to 31-25, the Trojans appeared in control. But with 6:42 left, freshman tailback Frank Strong fumbled and Cal safety Peter Destefano recovered at the Trojans' 43.

That set up Fields' game-winning touchdown.

``We did that deadly thing you can't do,'' Hackett said. ``We turned the ball over.''

The Trojans still had a final gasp, but Mike Van Raaphorst failed to complete a pass on three straight plays. The Trojans punted with 2:53 remaining and never got the ball back.

``The game was pretty much in hand honestly; we just kept kicking ourselves in the butt,'' Van Raaphorst said. ``We just didn't play in the second half. It wasn't one thing. It was everybody handing the game over.''

Everyone agreed afterward that the Trojans probably became a little too passive once they built their 21-point lead.

``We came out flat. We kind of thought the game was won,'' linebacker Chris Claiborne said.

Added wide receiver Billy Miller: ``I think we might not have expressed it on the field, but in a lot of people's minds, it was like, `This game was over.' It cost us.''

If there was any other turning point, it occurred at the end of the first half. USC blocked a punt and had the ball at Cal's 2 with 13 seconds left. After a running play gained a yard, Hackett elected to kick a field goal with seven seconds left - much to the crowd's chagrin.

``As I look back on it, yeah, I should have gone for it with seven seconds left,'' Hackett said. ``That one's gonna haunt me. I felt the lead at halftime was gonna hold up.''

SUSC vs. CALIFORNIA: A CLOSER LOOK

THE HERO

Cal cornerback Deltha O'Neal. The versatile junior returned six kickoffs for 183 yards, including a 57-yard run. He threw a 20-yard touchdown pass on a halfback-option play to A.J. Kunkle. And he had four tackles and broke up two passes on defense for the Golden Bears.

THE GOAT

USC coach Paul Hackett. With the ball on the Cal 2-yard line and 13 seconds left in the first half, Hackett had Petros Papadakis run the ball up the middle. He gained a yard. With seven seconds remaining, he called out the field-goal team and elected to take three points instead of running one more play for the end zone. It turned out to be crucial since the Trojans lost by a point.

STAT OF THE GAME

Cal sacked USC quarterbacks six times with its blitzing defense. The most pivotal sack came in the third quarter, when linebacker Sekou Sanyika tackled Carson Palmer in the end zone for a safety, providing the points for the margin of victory.

QUOTE OF THE GAME

``Tonight was our game to shut these guys down and we didn't. Being young is no excuse. We have to have discipline. We have to give the offense the ball.''

- Chris Claiborne

USC linebacker

NOTEBOOK: Matock says recovery ahead of schedule

USC defensive tackle Marc Matock might have provided the Trojans' only positive news Saturday night.

Matock said he expected to speed up his recovery from the broken ankle he suffered against Arizona State last week.

``I think it'll be six weeks, and I'll be back for the UCLA game,'' Matock said.

Doctors have told Matock to expect to be out eight weeks and return only if USC makes a bowl game.

Tailback Chad Morton (bruised back) did not suit up and watched the game from the coaches' booth. He did not participate in pregame warm-ups.

Claiborne takes the blame: USC's best player, linebacker Chris Claiborne, took responsibility for the 32-31 loss to California.

``I'm gonna take the blame for this one. Today, I didn't take over the game,'' he said. ``Chris Claiborne didn't step up. I didn't make a big play to change the game.''

Lost in the shuffle: Wide receiver R. Jay Soward could have been the game's star, if the Trojans had won the game.

Soward had 229 all-purpose yards, highlighted by an 80-yard punt return and a 77-yard touchdown reception. The punt return was Soward's 20th play of 40 or more yards in his career, 16th play of 50 or more yards and fifth play of 80 or more yards.

Another milestone: Last week, Arizona State's J.R. Redmond became just the eighth back to gain more than 200 yards against USC.

On Saturday, Cal wide receiver Dameane Douglas set a school record and a USC opponent record with 13 receptions (151 yards).

``USC feels that their athletes can cover anyone one-on-one,'' Douglas said. ``They don't double anyone. I wanted to show I was better than anyone they had.''

Measure of revenge: USC tailback Petros Papadakis had a 65-yard touchdown run and a 41-yard run against his former school. Papadakis spent a week at Cal in 1995 before transferring to USC.

Oregon game time: USC officials said they expect the Oct. 24 game at Oregon to be a day game in Eugene. An official announcement could come as early as Monday.

- Scott Wolf

CAPTION(S):

4 Photos, Box

PHOTO (1) Petros Papadakis breaks away from the crowd to begin a 65-yard touchdown run with 11:13 left in the first quarter Saturday.

(2) USC's R. Jay Soward shakes off Cal's Derrick Gardner for a second-quarter touchdown.

(3) USC quarterback Mike Van Raaphorst gets a pass off during the first quarter.

Myung J. Chun/Daily News

(4) MATOCK

BOX: USC vs. CALIFORNIA: A CLOSER LOOK (see text)