With Booty on target, there are no questions left

The question after a 28-point win over Idaho was, "How could USC look so sluggish in its home opener?"

The question after the bye week was, "How could USC be No. 1 when Louisiana State just crushed Virginia Tech in Baton Rouge?"

The question after a romp over Nebraska last week was, "Nice running game, but when will the star quarterback and his passing game show up?"

The only question after USC's 47-14 win over Washington State at the Coliseum on Saturday night was. . .

. . . Next?

That would be Washington, next week, in Seattle.

Saturday night was a bad night for Trojans Nitpick Nation as USC turned in a worked-them-like performance.

You want blemishes?

Starting quarterback John David Booty tossed an interception near the end of the first half.

Bad, bad, Booty -- how could you let that pass leave your hand?

Trojans kicker David Buehler missed an extra point that would have given USC 48 points instead of 47.

Early morning stadium steps might be in order.

The backup quarterback, Mark Sanchez, had a late pass intercepted and two Trojans defenders dropped in-their-hands interceptions that could have ended the game sooner.

Other than that, it was a near-perfect effort as the Trojans implemented Operation Balancing Act.

Thought the Trojans were a little run-heavy against Nebraska last week?

Might be nice if they could balance things out?

Saturday night, USC rushed for 207 yards and passed for 302.

"We ran for 200 and passed for 300," USC Coach Pete Carroll said shortly after he reviewed the final stat book. "That's about what you hope to do."

Booty completed 10 of 11 passes on USC's opening drive, but Carroll said nobody was trying to prove anything.

"It was not a statement to anybody else," he insisted. "We just need to work."

Booty capped the first drive with six-yard scoring pass to Fred Davis in the back of the end zone.

Davis came to USC as a wide receiver but is now a 250-pound tight end who ran over and around Washington State defenders.

For years, he lingered in the shadows of receivers Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith.

"Now he's the veteran," Booty said, "now he's the old guy."

Davis finished with nine catches for 124 yards.

"He just showed up," Booty said. "He was the guy getting open."

But it's not as though Davis was a ball hog.

Booty spread the outgoing bounty like bread to city-square birds.