USC stakes claim for No.1

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA - Point made. Top-ranked Southern California laid out its case for the national championship the best way it knew how - by dominating No. 4 Michigan with a 28-14 victory Thursday in the Rose Bowl.<br> <br> Matt Leinart threw three touchdown passes and caught another to lead the Trojans past the Wolverines with a kind of performance that should be enough to persuade voters to leave USC atop the poll.<br> <br> The Associated Press&#39; No. 1 team has never dropped in the rankings after winning its bowl, and it doesn&#39;t look as though it will happen this time, either.<br> <br> While the Trojans are primed to win their first title in 25 years, they would have to share it. Voters for the USA Today/ESPN coaches&#39; poll are obligated to crown the winner of Sunday&#39;s Sugar Bowl between No. 2 LSU and No. 3 Oklahoma, playing in the BCS championship game.<br> <br> Leinart shredded the sixth-ranked pass defense for 327 yards, and the Trojans (12-1) had a season-high nine sacks and even blocked a field goal by Michigan (10-3).

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