LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Chad Morton went way, way out on a limb. As dusk fell over the Los Angeles Coliseum on Saturday, Morton still was way up there, but now atop the shoulders of Southern California students.

Morton, the Trojans' tailback who guaranteed in August that they would end UCLA's eight-game winning streak against them this season, came through with a 143-yard rushing performance in a 17-7 win over the Bruins.

Many of the USC students in the sellout crowd of 91,384 scrambled onto the field after the game, and Morton got a hero's ride.

"You wouldn't believe the pressure that was on me since I made the guarantee. This week, I didn't sleep at all, but the biggest thing was that I backed it up," Morton said. "The team was so fired up when I said it, and they backed me up, and coach (Paul Hackett) backed me up.

"Now it's probably the best feeling in the world."

The win was the Trojans' first over their crosstown rivals since 1990, when Morton's brother, Johnnie, caught the winning touchdown pass with 16 seconds left in USC's 45-42 win.

This time, USC senior John Fox, a recycled starter at quarterback, and freshman Kareem Kelly hooked up for a pair of touchdown passes.

Meanwhile, the Trojans' defense, led by linebacker Zeke Moreno with an interception, a fumble recovery and seven tackles, stifled the Bruins.

The Trojans (5-6, 3-5 Pac-10) won despite being penalized 16 times for 126 yards, to nine times for 68 yards for the Bruins.

"It wasn't a pretty game, but we were able to step up," Hackett said. "Our defense slammed the door when it counted."

Said UCLA coach Bob Toledo: "They got a lot of good defense, did a nice job of coming off blocks and making plays.

"It's no fun to lose, but I tell our players that sooner or later, someone's going to get you. We will wake up tomorrow, the sun shine, and we'll be back."

The defeat kept the Bruins (4-7, 2-6) in ninth place in the Pac-10 after they won the conference title last season. The Trojans have one game remaining, against Louisiana Tech.

With both USC and UCLA under .500 going into the game for the first time since 1941, the contest was marred by the 25 penalties, lots of missed tackles and dropped passes.

But there were fine performances, too, like the 36 carries by Morton, the most by a USC tailback since Steven Webster carried 40 times against Washington in 1987.

Fox, who lost the starting job two years ago and switched first to defensive end, then to linebacker before starting the Trojans' last three games, completed 17-of-34 for 216 yards, with no interceptions.

The TD passes to Kelly were for 22 and 5 yards.

UCLA's Ryan McCann, a redshirt freshman making his first start, completed 17-of-29 for 204 yards, but threw three interceptions. McCann took over a week earlier and led UCLA to an overtime win over Washington after Bruins starter Cory Paus broke his collarbone in that game.

Fox became the USC starter because Carson Palmer broke his collarbone early this season and Mike Van Raaphorst was largely ineffective as his replacement.

Fox gave the Trojans a 10-point lead on the 5-yard scoring pass to Kelly with 13:02 left in the game. Kelly appeared to come down outside the end zone, but officials ruled it a TD.

All the other scoring was in the first half.

Fox connected with Kelly on the 22-yard score in the second quarter after McCann had scrambled 6 yards earlier in the quarter for a TD that gave UCLA a 7-3 lead.

David Newbury's 22-yard field goal in the first quarter provided the other USC points.