It was a throwaway play, a run-out-the-clock and then head for the locker room strategy, a call that worked too well for the Stanford Cardinal. After Reggie Bush's touchdown with 52 seconds left in the first half pulled USC to within four points of the Cardinal, 21-17, Coach Buddy Teevens elected to run the ball into the line, which is precisely what tailback J.R. Lemon did. The only problem was that the Trojan defense couldn't tackle him. Lemon disappeared into the rugby-like scrum, then reappeared alone in the unguarded secondary, and he ran 82 yards with 0:00 left for a touchdown.

The Stanford faithful swooned with pictures of an upset bigger than a Sequoia, or the California Bears in triple overtime last season. But what Lemon's run did was awaken the No. 1 team in the nation.

"That touchdown could have easily put us out," said USC quarterback Matt Leinart. "But we know we're a second half team, and you can never win a game in the first half."

Coach Pete Carroll, who coaches the defense, rallied his legions by installing a more blitzing style of attack for the second half, and it worked. Defensive end Sean Cody said before that last play that he and his teammates were preparing their halftime speeches. But when they saw Lemon dash away to the end zone, the embarrassment of his breaking two tackles at the line was all the incentive USC needed.

In the second half, Stanford was held to a scant 36 yards while the Trojans scored two touchdowns to pull out a 31-28 victory last Saturday in the Pacific 10 opener for both schools.

USC (4-0) has a bye this week, but returns to the Coliseum on Oct. 9 for a showdown with No. 10 California, the only team to defeat USC last season. It's ironic that last season USC also had a week off to prepare for Cal. Stanford (2-1) plays host to the Washington Huskies.

If USC was going to have a close call this season, last week was the one to have it because No. 2 Oklahoma, No. 3 Georgia and No. 7 Ohio State all had a byes. The Trojans lost a few first place votes on both polls to the Sooners but it could have been much worse if Oklahoma had played, and won big.

Washington State opened conference play Saturday with an impressive fourth-quarter rally that beat the Arizona Wildcats, 20-19. The Cougars introduced yet another budding quarterback to its illustrious lineage of signal callers, sophomore Josh Swogger, who gamely played with a partially torn tendon in his knee. Swogger threw touchdown passes to Jason Hill that offset WSU's five fumbles, four of which were recovered by Arizona. The Cats returned the favor by giving the game away when Gilbert Harris fumbled with 1:15 to go. Both teams have byes this week.

The improved UCLA Bruins play the San Diego State Aztecs at the Rose Bowl Saturday in a nonconference game that has Coach Karl Dorrell worried. The Bruins are coming off two consecutive wins and Dorrell is hoping his team isn't overconfident against the Aztecs, who have never beaten UCLA. "San Diego State plays an aggressive style on defense that has created a number of turnovers already this season," Dorrell said. Last week, the Aztecs barely lost to Michigan at Ann Arbor, 24-21. UCLA found its running game two weeks ago at Washington when tailback Maurice Drew, who went to high school at Concord De LaSalle in the Bay Area, set a school record for rushing yards and touchdowns. But Drew credits the offensive line for his historic performance. The line has emerged as UCLA's best asset so far in the young season. UCLA defeated SDS last season, 20-10, and Saturday's game will be televised in Los Angeles at 4 p.m. Fox Sports cable.

POWER SWEEPS: Boise State's 28-27 win over BYU Saturday stretched the Bronco's winning streak to 15 games, the longest among Division 1-A schools. USC is second with 13....UCLA linebacker Justin London, who has been nursing an injured right ankle, probably won't know until just before game time if he can play against San Diego State...Arizona State (4-0) travels to Eugene, Ore., to play the Oregon Ducks. Last week, the Sun Devils stopped Oregon State at Tempe, 27-14....John Robinson, the head coach at Nevada Las Vegas, announced that this would be his last season coaching the Rebels. Robinson sited family health issues as the reason for his retirement....The Fresno State Bulldogs (3-0) and ranked No. 17, have a road game at Louisiana Tech Saturday.... Unbeaten Utah (4-0) has a Friday night contest against New Mexico.