USC LOOKS TO REVERSE NEW TREND COUGARS HAVE HAD TROJANS' NUMBER.

Byline: Scott Wolf  Staff Writer

There isn't a more emotional USC player than defensive end Omar Nazel, who occasionally becomes a verbal raw nerve when discussing the Trojans.

Even USC coach Pete Carroll has cautioned him this season about toning down his comments.

So perhaps it's no coincidence that, on the eve of third-ranked USC's biggest game of the season against sixth-ranked Washington State at the Coliseum, Nazel preached restraint for the Pacific-10 Conference showdown.

``I'm happy to play in this game, but sometimes excitement ruins good judgment,'' Nazel said. ``It's a real big game, but it's a game.''

Then again, Nazel couldn't help but let a little extra something slip out.

``Since I've been here, they've been pretty victorious against us,'' he said. ``We'll see if they can keep it up.''

And though there might be some morning showers, Nazel wasn't about to let the weather become a Cougars advantage.

``We're in California now,'' he said. ``No matter what the weather is, it's in our atmosphere. It's our stadium. This is our place.''

The Cougars (7-1, 4-0) might not be playing in Pullman, Wash., but they're not exactly shrinking from the challenge of being a 12-point underdog today against the Trojans (7-1, 3-1).

``Don't forget, we're the defending Pac-10 champs,'' defensive end Isaac Brown said. ``One thing we have on USC - we don't have a Pac-10 loss. ... I've never lost to USC, and I don't plan on leaving there with a loss.''

Brown certainly has some history on his side. Never mind that Washington State won its past two games at the Coliseum; the Cougars should consider moving south with their recent record in the Golden State:

--They have won seven consecutive games in California.

--They have won their past 10 games against California schools.

--They have won six consecutive Pac-10 road games and 10 of their past 11.

Something gives today, because the Trojans have won eight Pac-10 games in a row at the Coliseum.

``I don't think it's so much the Coliseum as the players they put on the field that made the difference,'' Washington State coach Bill Doba said. ``In past years, like in 1997, we had a pretty good team and that's what won the game for us, and the same thing in 2000.''

There's one caveat associated with those Cougars wins: USC went 6-5 in 1997 and 5-7 in 2000. This team is not those Trojans.

``We don't even think about what happened back then,'' USC offensive lineman John Drake said.

What's more interesting is the Cougars made this such a big game in the first place. They merely lost their coach (Mike Price), their career passing leader (Jason Gesser), the Outland Trophy winner (Rien Long), the No. 11 pick in the NFL draft (Marcus Trufant) and a first-team all-conference offensive lineman (Derrick Roche).

Everyone is surprised they've won six consecutive games since losing at Notre Dame ... except Doba.

``Honestly, yes, I thought after spring ball that we'd be pretty good,'' Doba said. ``After the spring workouts, our kids stayed all summer. Sixty were there all the time or missed just one workout. That showed they were sincere and they cared and were a serious bunch.''

But even Doba admitted he's surprised with Cougars quarterback Matt Kegel, who has passed for 2,231 yards and 16 touchdowns, although some of that glow surrounding the senior was doused with his five interceptions and two fumbles against Oregon State last week.

``The big question was at quarterback, and Matt's done a nice job,'' Doba said.

Few might remember Kegel already has beaten the Trojans. He started three years ago, after Gesser broke his leg, and passed for 242 yards and one touchdown in a 33-27 victory.

That was Kegel's last start until this season, and he dutifully stood on the sidelines while Gesser set all those school records.

``He stayed with the program,'' Doba said. ``He could've transferred. He sat behind Jason Gesser for four years and saw limited time, and all he really needed was some game experience.''

Recently, Kegel has overcome a shoulder injury to continue leading Washington State during its current run of Pac-10 victories.

``He separated his shoulder three weeks ago (against Arizona), and against Stanford two weeks ago he dislocated it and they to reduce it and put it back in place. He missed one series, came back out and took us down for a touchdown,'' Doba said.

``Last week ... that shoulder might have been hurting quite a bit, but he fought through it and came back in the fourth quarter and made some great throws and helped us win the ballgame.''

Although USC's pass defense did a nice job containing Washington's Cody Pickett last week, it remains 97th in the country, surrendering 258 yards per game.

Asked whether pass defense was USC's weakness, Carroll said, ``There's enough yards on there to make someone hope that that's what it's going to be.''

Scott Wolf, [phone]

scott.wolf(at)dailynews.com

USC at WASHINGTON STATE

When: Today, 4 p.m.

TV/Radio:Ch. 7; 1540-AM

CAPTION(S):

3 boxes, chart

Box:

(1) PAC-10 STANDINGS

(2) REMAINING GAMES

Box/Chart:

WEEK-BY-WEEK PRESS TOP 25 RANKINGS

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