USC football notes: Tired Trojans are glad to be home
BY SCOTT WOLF, Staff Writer
Inside SOCAL
 

It's a somewhat weary USC team that enters today's game against Washington at the Coliseum. After two road games and with several players nursing injuries, the Trojans feel a little worn down.

"Usually you have it about right now because guys get beat up at this time of the year," quarterback John David Booty said. "That's why you try to fight through it."

Booty said he is just happy today's game is at the Coliseum.

"I'm tired of travel," he said. "Everybody's really excited about a home game because we haven't been getting home until three or four in the morning."

Today's kickoff (12:30 p.m.) is the earliest of the season for the Trojans.

"We all like a day game because it gives us a chance to see our families," Booty said.

Same quarterback, better team: USC coach Pete Carroll said Washington quarterback Isaiah Stanback is not better this season, his teammates are.

"I think he looks very similar to before, but the team around him is farther along," Carroll said. Carroll said Stanback compares favorably with former Texas quarterback Vince Young.

"They're both real fast and have an inclination to take off," he said. "But this is a more varied offense than Texas. The potential of their abilities is very similar though."

Streak buster?: Washington coach Tyrone Willingham is the last coach to beat USC at the Coliseum, with a victory in 2001. The Trojans have won 28 straight games at the Coliseum since that loss.

"I don't think it means anything special. Is it a nice fact? Yes," Willingham said. "But I don't think it means anything in terms of this ball game.

That was a different Trojan team that we played that year and obviously this is a different Washington team that I bring into this game."

Computer favorites: According to the Anderson and Hester computer rankings, which are used by the Bowl Championship Series, USC has, to date, the eighth-most difficult schedule, with Washington listed as ninth

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