It was the 33rd Rose Bowl appearance for the fourth-ranked Trojans and their 24th win -- three times more than any other school. USC has won the Rose Bowl three straight years.

Sanchez tossed four touchdown passes and his 6-yard scoring run 2:33 into the second quarter gave USC the lead for good at 14-7. The Trojans owned a 38-14 advantage in the fourth period and finished their season at 12-1. Their lone loss came Sept. 25 to Oregon State.

Penn State (11-2) came into the game ranked sixth, but was overwhelmed in the opening half. It was the fifth loss in six bowl games for Big Ten Conference teams this season, with Ohio State still to play in the Fiesta Bowl against Texas. The Pac-10 Conference won all five of its bowl contests.

Sanchez opened the scoring with a 27-yard pass to Damian Williams and had 19-yard touchdown passes in the second quarter to Ronald Johnson and C.J. Gable.

His 45-yarder to a wide open Johnson in the fourth quarter gave USC a 24-point advantage, but the Nittany Lions scored the final 10 points of the game and were threatening again when Daryll Clark was intercepted in the end zone on the final play of the game.

Clark's second touchdown pass of the game brought Penn State within 10 with 4:24 to play, but the Nittany Lions chose not to try an onside kick. Coach Joe Paterno, who recently underwent hip replacement surgery, directed his team from the press box.