USC keeps surviving, partying with Paris, and more

                    

	When USC needed a late jolt against Arizona State this past Saturday, the Trojans turned to Chauncey Washington. Stephen Dunn/Getty Images
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LOS ANGELES -- Chauncey Washington looked up at the scoreboard and couldn't get the image out of his mind. With less than 12 minutes left in a game that was slipping away, the Trojan envisioned himself as a Scorpion.

"It was like Mortal Kombat," said Washington, referencing the popular video game. "When we came out for the huddle, I said, 'This is like Mortal Kombat. It's fatality time. Finish him. We're going to finish these guys right now.' I kept saying that the whole drive."

While Washington's "fatality moves" weren't as dramatic as Scorpion's, they were just as effective in finishing off the Sun Devils, who had rallied from a 21-0 deficit in the first quarter to tie the game at 21 in the third quarter. It was Washington who carried the ball 10 times for 64 yards and had the game-winning touchdown on USC's 14-play, 74-yard drive to finish off Arizona State, 28-21.

"That drive gave us all the confidence in the world," said Washington, who had a career-high 22 carries for 108 yards. "Before the drive, [center] Ryan Kalil looked at me and said he would give me everything he had and I looked at him and said I would give everything I had and we went down and did it."

While the Trojans were able to stay undefeated, for the third week in a row the fate of the game hung in the balance at the end as USC's bend-but-don't-break defense and stagnant offense did just enough to win against an inferior opponent. If the game summaries are beginning to sound familiar, so are the postgame comments of USC coach Pete Carroll. "It's Groundhog Day all over again," said Carroll, who had used the same movie reference last week. "That's what it feels like. If it's Groundhog Day and you always wind up winning, that's OK with me."

Despite not being as dominant as they've been in years past, the Trojans still found themselves sitting comfortably in the No. 2 spot after the first Bowl Championship Series standings were released. USC's placement was thanks in large part to its No. 1 ranking in the computer polls, which don't factor in margin of victory. Even if some human polls continue to cycle in different No. 2 teams every week and keep USC at No. 3, the fact that the Trojans lead in every computer poll but one means they basically control their own national-championship destiny, even if they win the rest of their games by a touchdown or less.

"It's really hard to win," said Carroll. "Matt's not here, Reggie's not here. It's a different team. I'm fired up that we're [undefeated] and I don't think there's any reason for us to think any differently."