PULLMAN, Wash. — With All-America Dwayne Jarrett out, Southern California's other receiver was happy to pick up the slack.

"I knew it was my time," Steve Smith said.

The often-overlooked senior had a career-high 11 catches for 186 yards and two second-half touchdowns, and the No. 3 Trojans survived a scare from Washington State with a 28-22 victory last night.

"We are glad to get out of here," USC coach Pete Carroll said after his team extend its school record for consecutive road wins to 18.

USC (4-0, 1-0 Pac-10) won for the 49th win in 51 games since its last loss outside California, in overtime to Washington State on Oct. 5, 2002 in Pullman.

"Steve Smith just rose to the occasion," Carroll said. "He had a fantastic game."

Smith had just 12 catches through three games. But that was before Jarrett stayed home with a strained shoulder he injured in last week's win at Arizona.

"It feels good, similar to the (2005) Orange Bowl game when I had a couple of big-time touchdowns," Smith said of three scores that tied an Orange Bowl record and buried Oklahoma.

But this one wasn't so easy.

The Cougars (3-2, 1-1) nearly rallied to steal their first home win over a top-5 team since they beat No. 5 Washington in 1982. They got to the USC 38 and then spiked the ball with 3 seconds remaining. But Alex Brink's final heave was intercepted by Taylor Mays at the 4.

"We just didn't get it done," said Brink, who was 26 for 46 for 287 yards.

Michael Bumpus had a season-high seven catches — by halftime — for Washington State. He finished with 11 receptions for 112 yards.

USC quarterback John David Booty was 23 of 32 for 269 yards and three touchdowns, including scoring tosses of 7 and 11 yards to Smith.

"I'm just a playmaker," Smith said of a team that has had plenty in recent years. "We feel we can be as explosive as those offenses were those other years."