updated 3:34 p.m. ET Oct. 6, 2008

USC coach Pete Carroll said quarterback Mark Sanchez "has a chance to play" this week against Arizona State after suffering a bone bruise in his left knee against Oregon, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Carroll said X-rays and an MRI exam showed no ligament damage, and the injury is unrelated to the dislocated kneecap that sidelined the junior from USC's training camp.

Sanchez, who has worn a brace on his left knee all season, was injured in the third quarter of the Trojans' 44-10 victory over the Ducks.

"Thankfully, I had the patella stabilizer and the brace and that took care of me," Sanchez told the newspaper. Through four games played, Sanchez has thrown for 1,069 yards, 13 touchdowns and three interceptions.

Mitch Mustain, who had 111 yards and one touchdown against Oregon, would start if Sanchez could not play, Carroll said.

MORE FROM COLLEGE FOOTBALL

College football Section Front

Holtz main attraction among Hall's new class Aikman says college career wasn't complete Players, coaches to be enshrined in Hall of Fame Notre Dame, Army to play at Yankee Stadium in 2010 CFT: Tebow not unanimous pick for SEC preseason team Opinion: Meyer now college football's top coach A look at the college football coaching carousel Rivals.com notebook: Great BYU class gets even better CollegeFootballTalk on NBCSports.com Who is team of the decade? College football Section Front   Add College football headlines to your news reader: