College football notebook: USC sets mark for longest stay atop AP poll

The Associated Press

USC's streak at No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 reached a record-breaking level and Oklahoma, the team the Trojans replaced in the top spot almost two years ago, was unranked for the first time since 1999. - College Football -

USC has been No. 1 for 22 straight AP media polls, surpassing the record set by Miami from 2001 to 2002.

USC received 57 of 65 first-place votes in the poll released yesterday. No. 2 Texas received the other eight first-place votes. Louisiana State is No. 3, ahead of fourth-ranked Virginia Tech and No. 5 Florida.

The Trojans took over the top spot Dec. 7, 2003, after then-No. 1 Oklahoma lost the Big 12 Conference championship game to Kansas State. - College Football -

USC won the Rose Bowl to finish the season No. 1 in the AP poll, then began last season in the same spot. The Trojans improved to 2-0 Saturday night with a 70-17 rout of Arkansas at the Los Angeles Coliseum. Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush and the Trojans have scored 133 points. - College Football -

But staying at No. 1 might get tougher, as USC hits the road for its next two games. The Trojans play No. 24 Oregon in Eugene on Saturday and visit No. 18 Arizona State on Oct. 1.

Half of the Pac-10 schools are ranked. In addition to USC, Oregon and Arizona State, California is ranked 13th and UCLA is 25th. Oregon and UCLA weren't ranked last week.

UCLA beat then-No. 21 Oklahoma 41-24 Saturday. The Sooners are out of the rankings for the first time since Bob Stoops' first season as coach. - College Football -

In the USA Today coaches poll, the top five is identical to the AP poll. The coaches have Cal 14th, Arizona State 17th and UCLA 23rd. Oregon leads the category for "others receiving votes," meaning the coaches have the Ducks 26th.

Trojans adapt to new staff

USC scored the most points an Arkansas team has allowed in nearly 87 years, and gained the most yards (736) the Razorbacks have ever allowed in a game. - College Football -

If there was any question about USC's offense without Norm Chow, it has been emphatically answered.

Chow left as USC's offensive coordinator during the offseason to take the same job with the NFL Tennessee Titans, leaving youthful assistant coaches Lane Kiffin and Steve Sarkisian to handle his duties. - College Football -

"Everyone made a big deal about it all offseason," quarterback Leinart said. "I think we've proved in the first two weeks that it doesn't matter. He was a great coach, but coach Kiffin and Sark are two of the finest young coaches in the country."

Having Leinart and company makes their job a lot easier.

"Leinart is a coach on the field — he's a true playmaker," Arkansas coach Houston Nutt said. "It's the best offensive team I've seen." - College Football -

The Trojans beat Hawaii 63-17 to open the season. The 133 points they have scored in their first two games are their most ever to start a season.

The 70 points against Arkansas are the most USC has scored in a game since Nov. 7, 1970, when it beat Washington State 70-33. Arkansas hadn't allowed as many as 70 points in a game since Oct. 19, 1918, when the Razorbacks lost to Oklahoma 103-0. - College Football -

Bush said, "We feel like our best competition is in practice."

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