Marc Tyler

Quarterback Matt Barkley and receiver Robert Woods spent the first half of the season mostly having their way with opposing defenses. So when USC's potent passing combination struggled against California, the Trojans required and received a strong performance from their oft-criticized defense and improved their record to 5-1. "Robert and Matt played their poorest game of the year between the two of them," USC Coach Lane Kiffin ...

Reporting from San Francisco -- The score passed the eye test. The margin of USC's 30-9 victory over California on Thursday night at AT&T Park indicates that the Trojans are ready for the challenge of playing at Notre Dame and against seventh-ranked Stanford in the next two weeks. Then again, look closer. After giving up 84 points in their last two games, the Trojans had the national stage to themselves, to prove they were ready for prime time. USC matched its season total by forcing five turnovers, an impressive total regardless of the opponent.

Linebacker Dion Bailey , who entered Thursday night's game as USC's leading tackler, spoke this week of being unsatisfied with his performance. "I'm playing well but I feel like I'm not really helping my team like I'm supposed to," Bailey said. "Like a true linebacker, I need to lead the team in pass breakups or interceptions. "I really have to step up in my game, have a better nose for the football when it's in the air and get my hands on it. " Consider it done. The redshirt freshman from Lakewood High recovered a fumble and made the first two interceptions of his career as the Trojans came up with five turnovers in a 30-9 win over California at AT&T Park.

USC's passing attack has thrived as quarterback Matt Barkley and receiver Robert Woods break or flirt with records seemingly every game. But what of the running game? USC ranks 71st among 120 major-college teams, averaging 136.6 yards a game. "It's just been very up and down," Coach Lane Kiffin said Monday. "Not near enough explosive plays. " USC has passed for 14 touchdowns and rushed for four. Marc Tyler is entrenched as the starter, but the coaching staff has not settled on a consistent complement.

USC is looking to rebound from last week's turnover-plagued loss at Arizona State, which knocked the Trojans out of the Associated Press Top 25. Teams included in those rankings have not been kind to Arizona, which has lost to three top-10 teams. Staff writer Gary Klein examines the game's issues and matchups: Mystery team No one is quite sure what to make of Arizona. The Wildcats are 1-3, but their losses came against No. 5 Oklahoma State, No. 6 Stanford and No. 9 Oregon.

Marc Tyler doesn't remember the yards, but he remembers the carries. Last season against Arizona, Tyler ran the ball 31 times for 160 yards — both career highs — and the Trojans defeated the Wildcats at Tucson. It was the most carries by a USC tailback since Sultan McCullough ran 39 times against California in 2001. "I remember how sore and tired I was," Tyler said Wednesday. Tyler anticipates another heavy workload Saturday when the Trojans play Arizona at the Coliseum.

Now that the dust has settled… USC's loss to Arizona State incited a storm of second-guessing about Coach Lane Kiffin's play calling, quarterback Matt Barkley and the Trojans' inability to stop the Sun Devils. Kiffin said Sunday there was "some good and some bad" after watching tape of the Trojans' 43-22 loss, which dropped USC to 3-1 going into Saturday's game against Arizona at the Coliseum. The good: USC overcame a 12-point halftime deficit to take the lead.

The brown hail came quickly, frighteningly, swirling into Sun Devil Stadium late in the first quarter, turning a football game into a garbage bowl. The dust storm tossed plastic bags, food wrappers and paper napkins through the sky above USC and Arizona State, everything turning hazy and dirty and then, for Trojan quarterback Matt Barkley, it all went dark. Just as the dust-up reached its dizzying peak here Saturday night, Barkley was leveled by a thundering sack from Arizona State's Bo Moos.

USC expects to receive a rowdy reception from Arizona State fans when the No. 23 Trojans visit Sun Devil Stadium on Saturday night. And what of Trojans tailback Marc Tyler ? The senior will start for the second time after rushing for a team-best 154 yards in two games, but the Sun Devils faithful might give him a hero's welcome in the wake of his comments this summer. Tyler was suspended by USC for the season opener — in part because of inappropriate remarks he made on camera to TMZ.com.

So much for that second-half scoring drought. Going into Saturday's game against Syracuse, USC had scored only one touchdown after halftime in its first two games. Though pleased the Trojans were unbeaten, quarterback Matt Barkley admitted frustration, saying last week, "We have to keep raising that bar because we can do so much more. " Barkley did plenty against the Orange, throwing three of his five touchdown passes in the second half as USC routed Syracuse, 38-17, before an announced 65,873 at the Coliseum.