The score told one story, but what actually happened on the field was another.

Maybe that’s why most of the smiles and exclamations that usually accompany a victory were absent after eighth-ranked USC defeated Arizona State, 28-0, Saturday at the Coliseum.

"They ain’t gonna all be pretty,"

The question is simple: What should USC fans do when Omar Bolden runs onto the field today? More to the point, should they boo him?

The answer is not so straightforward.

Bolden will start at cornerback for Arizona State when the Sun Devils face the No. 8-ranked Trojans at the Coliseum. The sophomore ranks among the

USC went from dominant to dreadful once before, so it’s fair to ask if the Trojans might again be caught staring at their own reflections in the mirror with struggling Arizona State coming to town.

The Trojans buried Ohio State, then flopped at Oregon State. They then redeemed themselves with a 44-10 crushing of Oregon last weekend.

Now

On if QB Rudy Carpenter can play this week:
"First of all, we need to get the OK from the doctor, and then, see how he moves out there. I’m not going to put him on the field unless he has the mobility to be able to move and throw. He has to be pretty close to 100 percent. We won’t know anything about that until time

Danny Sullivan vs. Mitch Mustain? That might be the quarterback matchup Saturday when Arizona State faces Southern California at the Los Angeles Coliseum.

Backups Sullivan and Mustain have thrown a combined total of only 17 passes for their respective teams this season, but injuries to starters Rudy Carpenter and Mark Sanchez have p