STANFORD, Calif. — After a sluggish first half by Southern California, it looked as if there could be another Stanford stunner.

Then the Trojans took control of the trenches and the game to put last year's shocking loss to the Cardinal to rest.

Stafon Johnson ran for two second-half touchdowns and C.J. Gable also scored twice to help No. 6 USC overcome an early deficit and deal a dose of revenge to Stanford with a 45-23 victory Saturday.

"I felt like we owed them something," linebacker Rey Maualuga said. "They came into our house and got one from us. I definitely feel like we owed them a favor."

It took a while for the Trojans (9-1, 7-1 Pac-10) to give it to Stanford (5-6, 4-4) as they failed to make a first down until the second quarter and were lucky to go into the half tied at 17 because of two long kickoff returns.

But in the second half, USC kept Stanford off the scoreboard until the final play and ran for 243 yards in the kind of dominating performance that was lacking last year when the Trojans lost 24-23 to Stanford as a 41-point home favorite.

"When we got in the locker room, it just wasn't going to be," coach Pete Carroll said. "These guys just were not going to let this game stay the same. Both lines of scrimmage just went crazy."

Last year's loss still stung 13 months later and there were plenty of reminders in the first sellout in three seasons at the remodeled Stanford Stadium.

From the highlights of the game played on the video board during warmups, to the "Greatest Upset Ever" T-shirts worn by many fans in the crowd to the Stanford band spelling out the score of last year's game at halftime, the Cardinal did their best to extend the memory.

Their play on the field early in the game did even more to upset the Trojans. Stanford dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball early in the game before Gable's 93-yard kickoff return tied the game before the half.

"There was a lot of talk about revenge coming into this game," Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh said. "That's a word I don't use in college football. We knew USC was coming to play and our team came out and played a better first half."

The Trojans controlled the game the rest of the way, giving up few more big runs to Toby Gerhart the rest of the way and getting a consistent running attack from Gable, Johnson and Joe McKnight.

There was a bit of gamesmanship in the closing seconds, as Harbaugh sent on Aaron Zagory for a field goal in the closing seconds because he wanted to get some points. Carroll called a timeout, and backup quarterback Alex Loukas convinced Harbaugh to go for it. Loukas delivered with an 18-yard pass TD pass to Austin Gunder.

"He can do whatever he wants," Carroll said. "I don't care."

The win helped USC keep pace with Oregon State (7-3, 6-1) in the Pac-10 race and stay in the hunt for a berth in the BCS title game. The Beavers own the tiebreaker in the conference based on a head-to-head win and the Trojans trail five teams in the BCS standings, meaning they still need some help to reach their goals this season.

Stanford has one more chance to achieve its goal of reaching a bowl game for the first time since 2001, needing a win in the Big Game next week at California to become eligible.

"It's a one-game season now and we want this for the seniors," said quarterback Tavita Pritchard, who engineered the comeback last year in his first career start. "We want to get these guys a bowl game."

Johnson finished with 115 yards rushing, scoring on the go-ahead 7-yard TD run late in the third quarter. Gable's 3-yard run early in the fourth extended the lead and the Trojans put the game away on Mark Sanchez's 50-yard touchdown pass to fullback Stanley Havili.

"We just needed to come out and dominate," USC offensive lineman Jeff Byers said. "We needed to go and put fear in the opponents' eyes and do what we can do."

Sanchez, who watched as an injured John David Booty threw four second-half interceptions last year against the Cardinal, went 11-for-17 for 136 yards and two touchdowns.

Gerhart finished with 101 yards and a touchdown, giving him 1,033 for the season. He is the first Stanford back to top the 1,000 mark since Tommy Vardell ran for a school-record 1,084 yards in 1991.

Pritchard finished 9-for-22 for 111 yards and an interception.

"Our team is closing the gap," Harbaugh said. "We didn't get the turnovers like we did last year but we're a much improved team. That doesn't always show up in the win column."

Stanford started out fast, getting a 16-yard pass from Pritchard to Delano Howell on the second play. Pritchard then ran 40 yards on a scramble for the longest run of the season against USC. Gerhart capped the drive with a 4-yard run.

In the second quarter, Gerhart broke tackles and stumbled his way for 40 yards down to the 1 to set up Anthony Kimble's 1-yard score. But the Trojans tied it at 17 on Gable's kickoff return. The Trojans had three kickoff returns of at least 50 yards in the game, getting two from Ronald Johnson.

No. 1 Alabama 32, Mississippi State 7

In Tuscaloosa, Ala., Javier Arenas ran back a punt 80 yards for one touchdown and set up a score with another long return, helping No. 1 Alabama roll over Mississippi State.

The Crimson Tide (11-0, 7-0 Southeastern Conference) didn't need a dominant offensive performance to turn back a team that had given 'Bama fits the past two years.

Kareem Jackson blocked a punt in the end zone for a safety and Leigh Tiffin kicked three field goals to help keep Alabama on track for a perfect regular season leading up to a showdown with No. 3 Florida in the SEC championship game.

No. 3 Florida 56, No. 24 South Carolina 6

In Gainesville, Fla., Percy Harvin ran for a career-high 167 yards and two touchdowns, Tim Tebow accounted for three scores, and No. 3 Florida handed Steve Spurrier his worst loss in 90 games at The Swamp.

The Gators won their sixth in a row, finished unbeaten in the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division and kept their national title hopes alive by beating the Gamecocks for the 16th time in the last 17 years. The 50-point drubbing was South Carolina's worst loss since falling 63-7 to Spurrier's Gators in 1995.

No. 4 Texas 35, Kansas 7

In Lawrence, Kan., Colt McCoy burned the Big 12's worst pass defense for 255 yards and two record-breaking touchdowns, and Texas stayed in the thick of the national championship hunt.

The win gave Texas (10-1, 6-1 Big 12) double-digit wins for the eighth year in a row. More importantly to the Longhorns' long-range hopes, the 28-point margin was similar to blowouts Kansas suffered earlier at the hands of Big 12 South rivals Texas Tech and Oklahoma.

If Texas, No. 2 Texas Tech and No. 5 Oklahoma should tie for the South title, the tiebreaker to see who advances to the Big 12 championship game could come down to BCS rankings. And that could mean who has the most "style points."

No. 7 Penn State 34, Indiana 7

In State College, Pa., Penn State overcame a sluggish start to move a step closer to the Rose Bowl. Derrick Williams ran for one score and caught a touchdown pass, Daryll Clark threw for 240 yards and two scores in an uneven outing, and a stifling defense held Indiana to six first downs.

Heavy underdogs coming into Beaver Stadium, Indiana (3-8, 1-6 Big Ten) trailed just 10-7 at halftime in large part because of miscues by Penn State (10-1, 6-1). One drive ended after Clark fumbled at the Indiana 1, while Kevin Kelly missed a 40-yard field goal to foil another effort.

Momentum swung after halftime in favor of the Nittany Lions and Joe Paterno, who once again coached from the press box because of a sore right leg and hip.

No. 8 Utah 63, San Diego State 14

In San Diego, Brian Johnson kept No. 8 Utah on a BCS-busting course by throwing a career-high five touchdown passes.

Utah (11-0, 7-0) clinched at least a share of the Mountain West Conference title. The Utes will try to finish the regular season undefeated when they host No. 16 BYU in their big rivalry game Saturday.

Utah was the original BCS buster in 2004, becoming the first team from an outsider conference to crash the Bowl Championship Series. Those Utes finished 12-0 after routing Pittsburgh in the Fiesta Bowl.

SDSU (1-10, 0-7) lost 10 games in a season for the first time and the Utes never had to punt.

No. 9 Boise State 45, Idaho 10

In Moscow, Idaho, Jeremy Avery rushed for a career-high 156 yards and two touchdowns to help Boise State keep alive its hopes of returning to a BCS bowl.

Boise State (10-0, 6-0 Western Athletic) won its 10th straight over the Vandals, and also clinched at least a share of its sixth WAC title in the past seven seasons.

Idaho (2-9, 1-6) trailed just 17-10 at halftime. Boise State scored the first four times it had the ball in the second half to blow the game open.

No. 10 Ohio State 30, Illinois 20

In Champaign, Ill., Beanie Wells ran for 143 yards and a touchdown and Terrelle Pryor added another 110 yards, as the victory kept the Buckeyes (9-2, 6-1) in the chase for the Big Ten title.

It was also revenge for last year's 28-21 loss to the Illini (5-6, 3-4), which ended Ohio State's pursuit of a perfect season.

No. 11 Oklahoma State 30, Colorado 17

In Boulder, Colo., Zac Robinson broke Colorado's hearts again, leading Oklahoma State past the Buffaloes four years after spurning a scholarship offer from the Buffaloes.

Playing in his home state for the first time since high school, Robinson threw for 217 yards and a touchdown and ran for another.

No. 12 Missouri 52, Iowa State 20

In Ames, Iowa, Chase Daniel threw for 328 yards and two touchdowns and Missouri clinched the Big 12 North and a spot in the conference title game.

The Tigers' opponent is still anyone's guess, with Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech all still in the mix for the South title.

No. 13 Georgia 17, Auburn 13

In Auburn, Ala., Georgia's Knowshon Moreno rushed for 131 yards and caught a pass for a touchdown.

The Bulldogs (9-2, 6-2 Southeastern Conference) went ahead for good with 8:24 to play on a 17-yard pass from Matthew Stafford to A.J. Green and then stopped two late Auburn drives to seal the win.

No. 16 BYU 38, Air Force 24

In Air Force Academy, Colo., BYU's Max Hall threw for 354 yards and two touchdowns.

Harvey Unga added two touchdowns in a 74-second span in the third quarter, helping the Cougars set up a clash with No. 8 Utah next weekend for a share of the Mountain West Conference title.

Hall completed 28 of 37 passes, picking apart an Air Force defense that came in leading the league against the pass. He threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Austin Collie in the third quarter and a 45-yarder to Collie with 4:46 remaining, giving Hall at least one TD pass in 22 of 24 career games.

The Cougars (10-1, 6-1 MWC) have beaten the Falcons (8-3, 5-2) in five straight.

No. 19 LSU 40, Troy 31

In Baton Rouge, La., LSU roared back from 28 points down to beat Troy, completing the biggest comeback in school history when Charles Scott scored with 4:50 left to put 19th-ranked LSU ahead for good.

Troy went up 31-3 midway through the third, but LSU (7-3) answered with a touchdown late in the quarter and then ran off 30 points in the fourth to avoid an embarrassing loss.

Maryland 17, No. 17 North Carolina 15

In College Park, Md., Chris Turner engineered a dramatic fourth-quarter drive that produced a 26-yard field goal by Obi Egekeze with 1:42 left in Maryland's school-record sixth consecutive win over a ranked opponent.

Da'Rel Scott ran for 129 yards and a touchdown and Davin Meggett had 86 rushing yards for Maryland (7-3, 4-2). The Terrapins can reach the Atlantic Coast Conference title game for the first time by winning their last two games.

Boston College 27, No. 20 Florida State 17

In Tallahassee, Fla., Montel Harris ran for 121 yards and a touchdown and Marcellus Bowman went 87 yards with an interception for another score to help Boston College beat Florida State a day after five Seminoles players were suspended for fighting.

The Eagles picked off Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder three times and held the Seminoles to just 73 yards rushing.

No. 23 Oregon State 34, California 21

In Corvallis, Ore., Oregon State edged closer to its first Rose Bowl appearance since 1965.

Freshman Jacquizz Rodgers and his older brother James each ran for touchdowns for the Beavers (7-3, 6-1 Pac-10), who won their fifth straight.

Because Oregon State defeated then-No. 1 USC 27-21 on Sept 21, the Beavers hold the tiebreaker for a Rose Bowl berth should both teams win out. Oregon State visits Arizona next weekend before hosting Oregon in the Civil War rivalry game.

Houston 70, No. 25 Tulsa 30

In Houston, Case Keenum threw a career-high six touchdowns and ran for another score.

The Cougars (6-4, 5-1 C-USA) took advantage of Tulsa's miscues to jump out to a 14-0 lead and never trailed.

Keenum threw five TD passes in the first half. Two were to Tyron Carrier, who added a third touchdown on a 93-yard punt return.




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