By
Ryan Finley and Maxx Wolfson
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Farmer, Jenkins shine in 31-15 victory against Trojans
LOS ANGELES - It was not supposed to be this easy.
After nearly a week of hype and anticipation, Saturday's meeting between Arizona and No. 18 USC went from a war to a one-sided, anticlimactic beating by the time the first quarter was over.
Led by freshman running back Clarence Farmer and senior quarterback Ortege Jenkins, UA manhandled the Trojans, 31-15, in front of 49,342 people at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
"We came out here and tried to improve 3 to 5 percent better than last week," senior right guard Marques McFadden said. "We just have to keep going as the road turns, we have six games left."
Arizona (4-1 overall, 2-0 in the Pacific 10 Conference), ranked No. 22 in the Associated Press poll, has cracked the top 25 for the first time this season.
Prior to the start of the 2000 season, the Trojans (3-2 overall) were a Rose Bowl favorite. Now 0-2 in the conference and knocked out of the top 25 for the first time this season, Southern Cal is off to their worst conference start in almost three decades.
Farmer, making his second career start, ran for 134 yards on 22 carries and had one touchdown, an 80-yard scamper with 1:08 left in the first quarter. Farmer's run is Arizona's longest offensive play this season.
"The line blocked, they crashed the linebackers and I ran," Farmer said. "I made the mistake of turning back, but I guess I learn from my mistakes."
UA head coach Dick Tomey said that Farmer has been one of the driving forces for Arizona's success this season.
"I think Clarence is the difference for us," Tomey said. "His size and his toughness, all the things he can do, he needs to keep getting better, and he has been getting better."
Jenkins, who returned to his native Los Angeles for the final time in his collegiate career, showed the poise and confidence of a veteran throughout the one-sided victory.
On the third play from scrimmage, Jenkins hit sophomore wide receiver Bobby Wade as he streaked down the right sideline for a 75-yard touchdown.
The pass, which put the Wildcats ahead by a touchdown just 27 seconds into the game, was the longest pass of Jenkins' UA career and the longest pass play the Trojans had allowed since 1992.
"Once you jump on top, especially that quick, it was hard for USC to come back," UA junior wide receiver Malosi Leonard said. "To get the band and the fans out of the game early was key."
After the first 14 minutes of the game, the Wildcats were up by 21 points, and the offense became conservative, allowing Jenkins to throw only on occasion.
Jenkins completed only seven passes in the game for 110 yards, with 75 of them coming on the third play from scrimmage to Wade, but it was enough.
The Wildcats put the game in the hands of their defense, which has been Arizona's strength throughout the first part of the season.
"We have so much confidence, it is unexplainable," Farmer said. "We can't talk about it, it's unexplainable."
Arizona's defense, which had held its previous two opponents to a total of six points, managed to contain Southern California's high-powered offense, led by sophomore quarterback Carson Palmer and speedy running back Sultan McCullough.
Palmer, one of the nation's most highly touted quarterbacks, finished just 26 of 50 for 321 yards. The native of Laguna Nigel, Calif., had three interceptions and a fumble in a losing effort.
"I never thought that when we were 3-0 that we would be 3-2 right now," Palmer said. "The one thing we can't do right now is sit back and wonder, 'What if this,' or 'What if that.'"
UA's defense was paced by the play of senior linebacker Antonio Pierce, who had nine tackles in front of his hometown fans.
Pierce, an Ontario, Calif., native, and the UA defense have allowed just two touchdowns in their last 390 minutes of football.
"Antonio has worked really hard this year," Tomey said. "Antonio has been a good a player on our defense as anyone. Him playing well is not a new thing."
The Wildcats, who have started the 2000 Pac-10 season 2-0 despite low expectations throughout the preseason, now join four other conference teams in the top 25 - No. 9 Oregon, No. 11 Washington, No. 13 UCLA and No. 23 Oregon State.
"It was good to win tonight, but we got to worry about beating the (Washington State) Cougars next week," Jenkins said. "I am not worried about the win, I'm glad it is over. I want to get out of here."
