Southern Cal puts on show, pins second loss on Michigan

PASADENA, Calif. -- There were no Heismans or national titles up for grabs in this one for Southern California. It was hard to tell, though, given the way Dwayne Jarrett, John David Booty and that suffocating USC defense played.

Jarrett, the sensational USC receiver, caught 11 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns to help the eighth-ranked Trojans finish their season with a statement Monday in a 32-18 Rose Bowl romp over Michigan.

Booty threw for 391 yards and four scores.

Linebacker Brian Cushing had 21/2 sacks and defensive end Lawrence Jackson came up with two turnovers -- a fumble recovery and an interception -- on a day when USC allowed only 321 yards.

The Trojans (11-2) salvaged something positive at the Rose Bowl and set themselves up as next year's possible preseason No. 1 -- all this just four weeks after a 13-9 loss to UCLA in the same stadium wrecked their chances for another shot at the national title.

Jarrett, a junior, beat All-American cornerback Leon Hall on a 62-yard touchdown reception that put USC ahead 25-11 early in the fourth.

For icing, the 6-foot-5 Jarrett outjumped a pair of Michigan defenders for a 29-yard gain midway through the fourth quarter. A few plays later, Booty threw his fourth touchdown pass -- this one to senior Steve Smith, who finished with seven catches for 108 yards.

On the losing end were Chad Henne, Mike Hart and the rest of the Wolverines (11-2), who came in believing they had gotten a raw deal by being left out of the national title game after a back-and-forth 42-39 loss to No. 1 Ohio State in November.

Henne didn't get the Wolverines past the USC 20 until they had fallen behind 19-3. When Michigan finally did reach the end zone to cut its deficit to 19-11, the Trojans came right back with the drive capped by Jarrett's long touchdown.