Seniors Looking to Stay Perfect Against Bruins

Under Coach Pete Carroll, USC players are indoctrinated to take pride in the way they finish games, seasons and -- in the case of Trojan seniors -- careers.

Today’s game against UCLA is especially meaningful to USC’s fourth-, fifth- and sixth-year seniors because they have never lost to the Bruins.

USC ended UCLA’s record eight-game winning streak in the series in 1999. The Trojans have won the last five games.

Linebacker Matt Grootegoed, who arrived at USC in 2000 from Santa Ana Mater Dei High, said another victory would provide a perfect end to the regular season and the UCLA chapter of his career.

“I can talk about that the rest of my life,” Grootegoed said. “I’m planning on living here in Southern California. There’s going to be a lot of conversations and, hopefully, I’ll be able to say I left here without losing.”

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Sophomore flanker Steve Smith will start for the first time since breaking his leg on Oct. 9 against California.

Smith returned last week against Notre Dame and caught four passes for 96 yards and a touchdown.

A receiving corps that was considered a potential liability at the start of the season is now “the strength of our team,” quarterback Matt Leinart said.

“Every week, it seems like they’ve gotten better. Every week, there’s less dropped balls and more big plays,” Leinart said. “We have three, four solid guys that have contributed a ton to this offense.”

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Middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu, who has a sternum injury, is expected to start, but Collin Ashton said he would be ready if Tatupu needed a break or had to be replaced.

Ashton, a fourth-year junior, started twice last season at weakside linebacker.

“This is a lot different because you’re calling defenses,” Ashton said. “You have to be more of a leader out there. You’ve got to control the huddle.

“Last year, it was more falling in behind the leaders. This year, I have to be more vocal.”

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Sophomore tailback LenDale White needs 90 yards to become the Trojans’ first 1,000-yard rusher since Sultan McCullough in 2000.... USC leads the series with UCLA, 39-27-7.... Top-ranked USC teams are 3-0 against UCLA, with victories in 1962, 1968 and 1972.

USC is 2-1-2 in December games against UCLA. The schools have not played in December since 1945.... Today’s game is the latest regular-season finale for USC since 1980, when the Trojans defeated Notre Dame at the Coliseum, 20-6, on Dec. 6. This is only the second time that USC has played UCLA immediately after playing Notre Dame. In 1937, USC lost to Notre Dame and then defeated the Bruins.