Booty and Trojans pound Illinois for Rose Bowl victory
John David Booty threw for 255 yards with three touchdowns and one interception as sixth-ranked Southern California pulverized 13th-ranked Illinois, 49-17, in the Rose Bowl.
Joe McKnight ran for 125 yards and a score, and caught six passes for 45 yards for USC (11-2), which made its 32nd Rose Bowl appearance and won for the second year in a row. The Trojans beat Michigan, 32-18, last January.
Stafon Johnson ran for 104 yards on nine carries, and Fred Davis caught six passes for 79 yards and a touchdown for USC, which ended the season on a five- game winning streak.
"These guys were really, really special," USC head coach Pete Carroll said. "A long time ago we talked about win forever. That's kind of what these guys have done. We couldn't be more proud."
Juice Williams threw for 245 yards on 21-of-35 passing, but had no touchdowns and two interceptions for Illinois (9-4), which made its fifth trip to the Rose Bowl, and its first since 1984.
Rashard Mendenhall ran for 155 yards, which included a 79-yard touchdown run for the Illini, who had a four-game winning streak coming into the game. Arrelious Benn caught five passes for 80 yards and a score, which was thrown by Eddie McGee.
Mendenhall's big run re-energized the Illinois sideline and, more importantly for the Illini, brought his team within a two scores of USC -- after being in an 18-point hole at halftime. The 79-yard burst up the middle and down the left sideline made it a 21-10 game with 12:33 left in the third quarter.
The Illinois defense then forced a punt and threatened to score again after Williams connected with Mendenhall for a short pass to the right side. The running back took the ball 55 yards down to the USC 23.
"You get plays like that, it does bring momentum your way," Mendenhall said. "You got to capitalize and keep the momentum in your direction."
But, the Illini did not. On second down, Williams found Jacob Willis inside the 10, but after the reception, USC's Kaluka Maiava knocked the ball out from behind. The Trojans recovered in the end zone for a touchback.
John David Booty led USC on an eight-play, 80-yard drive, which he capped with a two-yard scoring strike to Davis. The touchdown put USC up 28-10 with 5:18 left, and it was all downhill for Illinois from there.
Williams was intercepted on the very next play of the ensuing Illini drive. USC, in turn, converted the turnover into another score, the second of four straight Trojan touchdowns.
Joe McKnight scored on a six-yard run with 3:42 left in the third to give the Trojans a 35-10 lead. USC then spanned the third and fourth quarters with a scoring drive, ending when Booty connected with David Ausberry for 15 yards into the end zone. USC's lead ballooned to 49-10, when Hershel Dennis plunged into the end zone from three yards out with 5:47 left in the game.
Illinois scored with just 4:28 remaining in the contest, on a 56-yard pass from McGee to Benn.
Booty's three touchdowns combined with his four from last year to set a Rose Bowl record of seven. He also played in his final collegiate game.
"It was incredible. The last five years have been the best of my life," Booty said. "That's the only way I know how to put it."
Yet, despite the problems Booty and USC's potent offense presented, the Illini were most affected by the Trojans' defense. USC had two interceptions and recovered two fumbles in six chances.
"You can't turn the ball over," Illinois head coach Ron Zook said. "Whether they were forced or we just -- weren't playing with consistency, the intensity that you have to play with, I'm not sure. You can't turn the ball over in any football game, much less this football game."
The costliness of those turnovers for Illinois came into play even in the first quarter. USC was already up one touchdown, after USC finished a nine- play, 72-yard drive with a score. Booty completed it with an eight-yard pass to Chauncey Washington in the left flat a little over four minutes into the game.
But on the first play of the ensuing drive, Williams was intercepted by Rey Maualuga near midfield. USC then wasted no time scoring again, this time on a gadget play. John David Booty tossed the ball horizontally to back-up quarterback Garrett Green lined up in the slot. Green then lofted a pass down the right sideline to Desmond Reed for a 34-yard score.
Reed somersaulted into the end zone, and was penalized, but USC still led 14-0 not halfway through the first. Illinois, meanwhile, had a flatly ineffective quarter on offense, and even missed a 29-yard field goal.
USC added another score with 2:21 before halftime, on a three-yard run by Washington, which was followed by a 28-yard field goal by Illinois' Jason Reda in the final minute. USC went into the locker room with a 21-3 lead.
Game Notes
USC has won 11 of the 13 all-time meetings with Illinois, with the Illini's two wins coming in 1935 and in 1989. The last meeting which took place in 1996, resulted in a 55-3 rout for the Trojans...Mendenhall also caught five passes for 59 yards...The Trojans participated in their sixth consecutive BCS game...Washington finished with 75 yards rushing and four receptions for 20 yards...Illinois is 6-9 in its last 15 bowl games.
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