The College Football BeltThe CFB Belt
Belt / 2004 season / Reign #258 · Game 1,341 of 1,640
September 11, 2004 Week 3 · Regular Season Belt defended

USC defends the belt, 49–0, at home over Colorado State.

Home · Defending Holder
USCAP No. 1 49
AT
Away · Challenger
Colorado State 0

AP poll, week 3: Colorado State unranked at USC No. 1 · No. 1 that week: Maryland. The belt vs. the polls →

Belt context

Where this game sits in the lineage

USC came in 254 days into reign #258, which began with a win over Michigan, with one defense already behind it; this was its second defense. USC went on to defend it 23 more times before Texas took it on January 4, 2006, 734 days after the reign began.

For Colorado State this was its 4th shot at the belt; it had held the belt twice before.

This is the only time Colorado State and USC have met with the belt on the line.

AI-Written

Recap

USC dominated Colorado State from start to finish in this lopsided affair, with the Trojans' defense forcing seven turnovers while their offense methodically moved the ball downfield. LenDale White was the star for USC, scoring three touchdowns in the first half alone, including an 11-yard rushing TD in the first quarter and a 1-yard score in the second quarter that exemplified the Trojans' control. Colorado State managed only a few bright spots, like Uldis Jaunarajs' 38-yard rush and a 26-yard completion to Johnny Walker, but the Rams' offense was crippled by turnovers and an inability to sustain drives. Matt Leinart orchestrated the USC offense efficiently with key completions to Chris McFoy and Steve Smith, while the defense recorded multiple interceptions of Justin Holland, including a 56-yard return for a touchdown by Matt Grootegoed. The belt stayed in Los Angeles as USC's defense and ball security dominated what became a complete mismatch.

Written by Claude from the box score and play-by-play on this page — a plain-English recap of the numbers below, not a substitute for them.

Full Box Score

Team stats

CFBD box score
 USCColorado State
Total yards553281
Rushing yards32248
Passing yards231277
First downs3214
3rd down conv.7/133/14
Turnovers27
Penalties–yards0–00–0
Time of possession20:3216:08

Full team box score from CFBD’s /games/teams data. This section only appears for belt games from 2003 onward — CFBD doesn’t have team-level stats that far back.

Play By Play

Key plays

CFBD play-by-play
WhenTeamYardsPlay
Q1 10:45USC+0 ydTrojans fumble by Matt Leinart (USC), recovered by Jonathon Simon (CSU), returned for no gain.
Q1 12:25USC+20 ydLenDale White (USC) rushed left side for 20 yards.
Q1 9:15Colorado State+21 ydJustin Holland (CSU) pass across the middle complete to David Anderson (CSU) for 21 yards.
Q1 3:44USC+11 ydLenDale White (USC) rushed left side for a 11 yard touchdown.
Q1 3:15USC+0 ydExtra point by Ryan Killeen (USC) is good.
Q1 0:30Colorado State+0 ydRams fumble by Joel Dreessen (CSU), recovered by Uldis Jaunarajs (CSU), advanced for no gain.
Q2 15:00Colorado State+56 ydJustin Holland (CSU) pass across the middle intercepted by Matt Grootegoed (USC). Returned for 56 yards.
Q1 3:08Colorado State+38 ydUldis Jaunarajs (CSU) rushed up the middle for 38 yards.
Q2 14:34USC+0 ydExtra point by Ryan Killeen (USC) is good.
Q2 14:48USC+31 ydMatt Leinart (USC) pass right side complete to Chris McFoy (USC) for 31 yards.
Q2 14:37USC+1 ydLenDale White (USC) rushed up the middle for a 1 yard touchdown.
Q2 14:34USC+24 ydKickoff returned by Damon Morton (CSU) for 24 yards.
Q2 10:12USC+0 ydExtra point by Ryan Killeen (USC) is good.
Q2 10:55USC+28 ydMatt Leinart (USC) pass across the middle complete to Steve Smith (USC) for 28 yards.
Q2 10:18USC+3 ydLenDale White (USC) rushed right side for a 3 yard touchdown.
Q2 4:51USC+0 ydTrojans fumble by Greig Carlson (USC), recovered by Liddon Levine (CSU), returned for no gain.
Q2 4:51Colorado State+0 ydRams fumble by Joel Dreessen (CSU), recovered by Jason Leach (USC), returned for no gain.
Q2 4:00USC+0 ydTrojans fumble by Matt Leinart (USC), recovered by Matt Leinart (USC), advanced for no gain.
Q2 1:07USC+0 ydExtra point by Ryan Killeen (USC) is good.
Q2 1:12USC+7 ydReggie Bush (USC) rushed right side for a 7 yard touchdown.
Q2 4:00USC+22 ydMatt Leinart (USC) pass across the middle complete to LenDale White (USC) for 22 yards.
Q2 2:40USC+23 ydMatt Leinart (USC) rushed left side for 23 yards.
Q2 1:07USC+23 ydKickoff returned by Damon Morton (CSU) for 23 yards.
Q3 10:40Colorado State+0 ydJustin Holland (CSU) pass across the middle intercepted by Matt Grootegoed (USC). Returned for no gain.
Q3 11:41Colorado State+26 ydJustin Holland (CSU) pass across the middle complete to Johnny Walker (CSU) for 26 yards.
Q3 7:44USC+0 ydExtra point by Ryan Killeen (USC) is good.
Q3 7:55USC+5 ydMatt Leinart (USC) pass left side complete to Steve Smith (USC) for a 5 yard touchdown.
Q3 10:31USC+21 ydMatt Leinart (USC) pass across the middle complete to Dwayne Jarrett (USC) for 21 yards.
Q3 7:38Colorado State+30 ydJustin Holland (CSU) pass across the middle complete to Johnny Walker (CSU) for 30 yards.
Q3 7:38Colorado State+22 ydJustin Holland (CSU) pass across the middle complete to David Anderson (CSU) for 22 yards.
Q3 6:50Colorado State+0 ydJustin Holland (CSU) pass left side intercepted by Eric Wright (USC). Returned for no gain.
Q3 6:41USC+42 ydLenDale White (USC) rushed up the middle for 42 yards.
Q3 2:51Colorado State+9 ydJustin Holland (CSU) pass left side intercepted by Dallas Sartz (USC). Returned for 9 yards.
Q3 1:28USC+0 ydExtra point by Ryan Killeen (USC) is good.
Q3 1:45USC+4 ydMatt Leinart (USC) pass across the middle complete to Dwayne Jarrett (USC) for a 4 yard touchdown.
Q4 11:54USC+0 ydExtra point by Ryan Killeen (USC) is good.
Q4 13:15Colorado State-20 ydRams fumble by Justin Holland (CSU), recovered by Manuel Wright (USC), returned for a 20 yard touchdown.
Q4 11:54USC+20 ydKickoff returned by Uldis Jaunarajs (CSU) for 20 yards.
Q4 5:08USC+24 ydDesmond Reed (USC) rushed right side for 24 yards.

Scoring plays, turnovers, and gains of 20+ yards, pulled from CFBD’s play-by-play. This section only appears for belt games with play-by-play on file (2003 onward).

Box Score

Player stats

CFBD player stats

Passing

USC

PlayerC/ATTYDSAVGTDINTQBR
Matt Leinart20/312317.52064.9

Colorado State

PlayerC/ATTYDSAVGTDINTQBR
Justin Holland19/352336.7046.6

Rushing

USC

PlayerCARYDSAVGTDLONG
LenDale White141238.8342
Reggie Bush12847.0115
Desmond Reed8567.0024
Matt Leinart7466.6023
David Kirtman3175.7012
Brandon Hance1-4-4.000

Colorado State

PlayerCARYDSAVGTDLONG
Uldis Jaunarajs13745.7038
Tristan Walker3124.008
Marcus Houston510.204
Justin Holland6-39-6.503

Receiving

USC

PlayerRECYDSAVGTDLONG
Steve Smith8799.9128
Chris McFoy45914.8031
Dwayne Jarrett33210.7121
David Kirtman23015.0019
LenDale White12222.0022
Alex Holmes177.007
Reggie Bush122.002

Colorado State

PlayerRECYDSAVGTDLONG
David Anderson913715.2022
Johnny Walker46616.5031
Joel Dreessen5234.608
Uldis Jaunarajs177.007
Show more stats (4 more categories)

Interceptions

USC

PlayerINTYDSTD
Matt Grootegoed2570
Dallas Sartz180
Eric Wright100

Colorado State

No recorded stats in this category.

Kicking

USC

PlayerFGPCTLONGXPPTS
Ryan Killeen0/00.007/77

Colorado State

No recorded stats in this category.

Punt Returns

USC

PlayerNOYDSAVGLONGTD
Reggie Bush3175.7100
Greig Carlson320.720

Colorado State

PlayerNOYDSAVGLONGTD
David Anderson210.510
Damon Morton100.000

Punting

USC

PlayerNOYDSAVGTBIn 20LONG
Tom Malone417343.30047

Colorado State

PlayerNOYDSAVGTBIn 20LONG
Jeff Babcock522144.20056
Jimmie Kaylor28140.50043

Full player stats from CFBD’s /games/players data, split out by team. This section only appears for belt games from 2003 onward — CFBD doesn’t have player-level stats that far back. Linked player names go to that player’s stat line in every other belt game they’ve appeared in.

Sources Box score at ESPN · Game record: College Football Data (id 242550030) · This game in the downloadable dataset