TUCSON, Ariz. — The Tampa Bay Rays are in the World Series.

What's next? Arizona in the Rose Bowl?

As far-fetched as it may seem, the Wildcats can take a big step toward spending New Year's Day in Pasadena with a victory over No. 6 Southern California on Saturday night.

"We're in a position where we can go somewhere we haven't been in a long time," defensive end Ricky Elmore said.

Try never. Arizona is the only member of the present Pac-10 and Big Ten conferences that has not played in the Rose Bowl game. The Wildcats joined the Pac-10 in 1978.

Arizona (5-2, 3-1 Pac-10) is tied for the Pac-10 lead with the mighty Trojans (5-1, 3-1), Oregon and Oregon State, with games against the Ducks and Beavers next month.

Oregon and Oregon State have each beaten USC in the last two seasons. USC has won the last six games against Arizona.

"What do we have to lose?" coach Mike Stoops said. "Nobody thinks we're going to win."

Even if Arizona pulls off the upset against USC, it won't have earned anything but bowl eligibility. But the Wildcats control their own destiny, and that alone is a big change for a program that has spent the last five years recovering from the fallout of the John Mackovic era, which ended with a 2-10 season in 2003.

"I think we're in a good place," Stoops said. "I think our kids are very confident in what they're doing on both sides of the ball. If we can continue to play hard and fast like we did the other night, then we're going to have chances."

The Wildcats' 42-27 victory over then-No. 25 California last weekend was their sixth over a ranked opponent in Stoops' five seasons.

As for the Trojans, they have their eyes on the national championship. USC's expected romp to the Bowl Championship Series title game took a detour in a 27-21 loss at Oregon State on Sept. 25.

A Tucson reporter this week asked USC coach Pete Carroll "if you take away that game, is this as well as the team has played since you've been there?" Carroll could only chuckle.

"You can't take away that game," he said. "If you figure out a way, will you let me know? We still have to live with that performance and learn from it, hopefully, and not allow it to repeat."

A year ago, the Trojans seemed to fall out of the national title picture after an unfathomable home loss to Stanford. But USC wasn't eliminated until it lost again, at Oregon.

That's why the Arizona game is so critical. Less than one month after losing to the Beavers, USC is No. 5 in the first BCS standings. The Trojans will need help to reach their third BCS title game in five years, but another loss would wipe them out.

The Trojans are on a roll as they come to the desert. They've recorded back-to-back shutouts of Arizona State (28-0) and Washington State (69-0) and have scored 138 unanswered points.

The Trojans are conceding 7.8 points per game, best in the nation. USC is equally stout against the run and the pass; the Trojans rank eighth in rush defense and third in pass efficiency defense.

They've created 16 turnovers and given up 12, which ranks 34th in the country.

"We've been getting after the football pretty well, getting some turnovers and doing the things that we need to do to help us win," Carroll said.

The Trojans' defense will face its toughest test on Saturday. The Wildcats average 40.4 points per game, ninth in the nation.

That figure reflects lopsided victories over woeful Idaho, Toledo and Washington. But Arizona also hung 42 points on Cal last weekend, blitzing the Golden Bears with four touchdowns in the third quarter, one on an interception return.

Arizona is led by senior quarterback Willie Tuitama, the school's all-time leader in passing yards and completions. With speedy receiver Mike Thomas and rangy tight end Rob Gronkowski, the Wildcats present difficult matchups in the passing game.

Arizona's running game has added another dimension to the attack. When starter Nic Grigsby fumbled on his first carry against Cal, Stoops summoned true freshman Keola Antolin, who ran for 149 yards and three touchdowns to earn Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Week.

"Arizona's a very capable team, very dangerous," USC defensive tackle Fili Moala said. "They're the type of team that people can overlook and be stung. You can't take them lightly.

"The talent is there," Moala said. "They might not play to their ability all the time. When they do, they're very dangerous."