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PAC 10: USC comes alive in time

Associated Press
Published September 26, 2004

STANFORD, Calif. - USC had another harrowing trip to the bay area. Thanks to the Trojans' defense and unstoppable tailback tandem, this one had a happier ending.

Matt Leinart passed for 308 yards and LenDale White scored on a 2-yard run with 6:15 left, capping the Trojans' comeback from an 11-point deficit for a 31-28 win over Stanford on Saturday night.

Steve Smith caught eight passes for 153 yards and a touchdown, and Reggie Bush contributed 95 yards rushing and a key punt return to Southern Cal's 13th straight victory. After yielding 291 yards in the first half, No. 1 USC gave up 36 after halftime.

But the nation's second-longest win streak almost ended across the bay from the site of the defending national champions' most recent defeat, at California last season.

Stanford took a 28-17 lead into halftime. The Cardinal did it in style, scoring on a fake field goal and adding J.R. Lemon's 82-yard TD run as time ran out.

Leinart got his offense going late in the third quarter on Smith's 51-yard reception to the Stanford 12. Leinart scored on a 1-yard keeper, cutting the lead to four. Ryan Killeen missed a 23-yard field goal on the Trojans' next drive with 11:10 to play, but Bush's spinning 33-yard punt return set up a short drive culminating in White's TD dive.

NOTRE DAME 38, WASH. 3: Brady Quinn tied a school record with four touchdown passes to lead the host Irish. Quinn completed 15-of-23 for 196 yards with two TDs each to Matt Shelton and Anthony Fasano in the first half, leading Notre Dame to its first easy win of the season. He completed two passes in the second half, one for 53 yards that set up the Fighting Irish's final score. The sophomore finished 17-of-32 for 266 yards with one interception.

Washington, which has not had a losing season since 1976, is off to its worst start since 1969, when the Huskies lost their first nine games. Quinn guided Notre Dame to scores on five of its eight first-half possessions. The Huskies were held to 29 yards rushing on 15 carries and had just 159 yards total offense in the half.

It was the first time Notre Dame coach Tyrone Willingham has defeated the Huskies. Willingham's Stanford teams were 0-5 against Washington.

OREGON 48, IDAHO 10: Terrence Whitehead ran for 115 yards and scored two touchdowns, lifting host Oregon over Idaho, which was mourning the death of cornerback Eric McMillan. McMillan was shot Sunday in his Moscow, Idaho, apartment and died Monday. A moment of silence was held before the game and the Vandals played with "EM" stickers on their helmets.

Oregon kicker Jared Siegel set the school's career points record when an early point-after gave him 273 points. But his string of 98 straight successful PATs, 10 short of the Pac-10 record, was snapped when he missed late in the first quarter.

WASH. ST. 20, ARIZONA 19: Josh Swogger, ignoring a partially torn tendon in his knee, rallied visiting Washington State twice with fourth-quarter touchdown passes to Jason Hill. The Wildcats forced five fumbles and recovered four to almost make up for their weak offense, but gave the game away when Gilbert Harris fumbled with 1:15 left while they were trying to protect a 19-14 lead.

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