WHICH WAY WOULD IT GO?

Byline: KEVIN MODESTI

How do you suppose it would end, the Trojans' football winning streak?

If it had to end, I mean. With the ground rumbling, thunder cracking, a voice booming condemnation from the heavens?

With hearts pounding, a huge crowd roaring, a nation watching?

With a historic rivalry game coming down to the last seconds?

USC and its fans faced the awful realization Saturday night that their three years of glory could end in a much less glorious fashion.

It would be one thing to lose a thriller to Notre Dame, in the full view of Touchdown Jesus, on late-afternoon network TV.

It would be something else entirely to fall to Fresno State, in a sullen Coliseum, on late-night cable.

But for most of this game, that's exactly what was happening to the Trojans, the team with the 32 wins in a row, the No. 1 ranking in the sport and a record third national championship on the horizon.

Trailing at halftime, the Trojans needed quick-hit touchdowns by Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush and Steve Smith to take a 34-28 lead into the final minutes of the third quarter.

``I told the (Trojans) ... this is a really good team we're going the play, maybe the best we've played all year,'' Pete Carroll had said during the week, and if the Bulldogs weren't really that good, the Trojans were making them look that good.

The early signs were not encouraging for the Trojans fans in the crowd of 90,007. Especially this sign.

After Fresno State marched to the Trojans 13 on the visitors' first series, quarterback Paul Pinegar dumped a short completion over the middle to Devyn McDonald. McDonald was sandwiched by Darnell Bing and Brian Cushing and fumbled.

But, darn the luck, the ball popped pretty much straight up in the air. It landed in the arms of Fresno's Jermaine Jamison, standing a step from the goal line.

Jamison lurched into the end zone and it was Fresno 7, Trojans stunned.

By late in the first half, it was Fresno 21-10, Pinegar doing a fair Leinart impression with nine completions in a row to seven different receivers.

It became easy to distinguish the red-clad Fresno fans in the corners of the stands from the cardinal-wearing USC fans everywhere else. The Fresno fans were the ones on their feet screaming.

This was looking like the Trojans' demise that had been predicted before pretty much every game this season by somebody somewhere looking for a head-turning column.

Every Saturday, there has been something the Trojans had to watch out for.

Hawaii, the opening-week opponent, was going to be the first test for the Trojans coaching staff's new offensive brain trust. Arkansas, with the nation's top-ranked rushing attack that early in the season, was going to be trouble for the Trojans' tacklers if they weren't sharper than they were in Honolulu. Oregon, the first ranked team on the schedule, had won four out of the past five meetings at plug-your-ears Autzen Stadium.

So much for September, which the Trojans escaped with a 3-0 record.

Arizona State's high-flying offense was sure to give fits to the Trojans' young defense. Arizona was dangerous if the Trojans were looking ahead to the big game the next week. Notre Dame had the edge because Charlie Weis had two weeks to prepare. Washington was dangerous if the Trojans experienced a letdown after the big game the previous week. Washington State was, well, I'm sure somebody thought of a reason to worry about Wazzu.

That was it for October, in which the Trojans had trouble with Arizona State and needed Leinart to be Bart Starr to beat Notre Dame but got out with an 8-0 record.

Stanford game week was fraught with distractions - Rey Maualuga's arrest, Pete Carroll's over-the-top Halloween prank, the aftermath of the Coliseum tunnel scrap with Washington State. Cal game week was full of ominous reminders that the Golden Bears were the last team to beat the Trojans.

And that was November - so far - with the Trojans a cool 10-0.

In came 16th-ranked Fresno, which had been seeking this game forever, intent on making its reputation by knocking off the champ. Not that the two schools occupy different social circles, but if this ever became an annual event, it would have to be called the Highway 110-5-99 Series.

The Trojans and Fresno had two opponents in common, and neither would tell you Fresno was the better team. The Trojans beat Hawaii by 46 - Fresno beat Hawaii by 14. The Trojans beat Oregon by 32 - Fresno lost to Oregon by a field goal.

Still, there were many who thought the steady Pinegar and his receivers could give the Trojans a scare. And they did.

It didn't feel right, the Trojans' win streak and ranking and title hopes in jeopardy against this opponent at this time in this place. But it was.

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Photo:

USC quarterback Matt Leinart and his teammates didn't have an easy time against Fresno State on Saturday.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer