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 John David Booty threw for 375 yards and matched a career high with four touchdown passes as the 11th-ranked Trojans blitzed No. 7 Arizona State 44-24 on Thursday night, reviving their bid for an unprecedented sixth straight Pac-10 title.
Southern California (9-2, 6-2 Pac-10) will win the Pac-10 outright if it beats UCLA on Dec. 1 and Oregon loses to UCLA or Oregon State.
The Trojans needed no help in dismantling the Sun Devils (9-2, 6-2).
The USC defense overwhelmed Arizona State, sacking quarterback Rudy Carpenter six times. USC defensive end Lawrence Jackson had four sacks, most in a game by a Trojans player since 1989.
The Trojans broke open a 17-all game with 10 points in the final 5 minutes of the first half, then pulled away from the Sun Devils with 17 more points in the third quarter.
Booty hit Joe McKnight for a 7-yard touchdown midway through the quarter, then connected with Fred Davis for a 34-yard score on fourth-and-2 to give USC a 44-17 lead entering the fourth.
ASU has staged some stirring rallies this season, but the Sun Devils had no chance against USC's defense, which allows 16 points per game, sixth in the nation.
ASU rushed 27 times for zero yards through three quarters.
It was USC's eighth straight win over Arizona State.
[Associated Press; By ANDREW BAGNATO]
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This
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