Trojans stake their claim to national championship
NO. 1 USC 28, NO. 4 MICHIGAN 14: The Trojans dominate the Wolverines in the Rose Bowl and now must await their fate.
By PETE YOUNG
Published January 2, 2004
[AP photo]
Darnell Bing, left, and Brandon Hance celebrate after teammate Lofa Tatupu intercepts a Michigan pass during the second quarter of No. 1 Southern Cal's 28-14 Rose Bowl win. View photo gallery
PASADENA, Calif. - LSU and Oklahoma play the BCS national championship game Sunday, but as far as USC is concerned, that's just a gussied-up consolation match.
The Trojans entered Thursday's Rose Bowl ranked No. 1 in both polls, and they whipped highly regarded, No. 4 Michigan 28-14 before 93,849.
"We're the national champions in my book, whether the coaches flip-flop or not," said USC star receiver Mike Williams from Tampa, who had eight catches. "We're the No. 1 team in the country, and we won our bowl game."
It was a stylish and gritty victory, complete with two signature moments: Keary Colbert's one-handed touchdown grab and a reverse/touchdown pass from Williams to quarterback Matt Leinart.
For that, the Trojans will have to settle for half of a national title because the coaches, who vote in the ESPN/USA Today poll, are obligated to vote the winner of the Sugar Bowl No. 1.
Before the bowls, USC had more first-place votes than LSU and Oklahoma combined in both polls. "We did everything we needed to do," USC coach Pete Carroll said. "This is a great football team, and we finished it the way we needed to."
"We took care of business and beat a real good team," Williams said. "Did we do enough?
"Put that camera on the scoreboard. That's enough."
USC (12-1) would earn its first national championship in 25 years and ninth in school annals. It did so in traditional USC fashion, on a postcard-perfect afternoon on New Year's Day at the Rose Bowl.
A swarming Trojans defense registered nine sacks of John Navarre (who was 27-of-46, 271 yards for one touchdown and one interception), and a streamlined passing attack tallied 342 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions.
Michigan had allowed just 15 sacks this season but was confounded by the oft-blitzing Trojans.
"They played us perfectly," Michigan offensive tackle Tony Pape said. "They brought a lot more pressure than we expected. They had speed off the edge."
USC took a 28-7 lead late in the third quarter and held on. The third and fourth USC touchdowns were instant classics, though Colbert didn't realize the degree of difficulty of his second scoring catch of the game, a 47-yarder that put USC up 21-0, until later.
"A reporter asked me about it, and I was thinking, "What one-handed catch?"' said Colbert, who had six catches for 149 yards.
Leinart, named the game's most valuable player, was 23-of-34 for 327 yards. The Wolverines had allowed five touchdown passes this season, but Leinart tossed three and caught a fourth, the 15-yarder from Williams that made it 28-7.
Leinart, who succeeded Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer and hadn't thrown a collegiate pass until this season, flourished under the guidance of offensive guru Norm Chow. He finished the season with a 38-5 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
"We knew the sky was the limit for him," Williams said. "Each week, he played better than the week before."
USC also split its previous national title, with Alabama in 1978. Despite 37 of the 63 coaches choosing USC No. 1 in the last poll, at best, it will finish No. 2.
"It is what it is," Carroll said. "I think the fact that some coaches are willing to go against the system because they know it's not right ... I think that's to be respected.
"We have generated enough momentum at this time to fix (the system)."
The Associated Press poll is a virtual lock for USC. In its history, no No. 1 team has dropped after winning its bowl game.
"I am committed to vote for the winner of the Sugar Bowl," said Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, who fell to 14-4 against Top 10 teams. "But if I was a member of the media ... I would think Southern Cal is very deserving. You could make me an honorary member."
USC said it won't pay much attention to the Sugar Bowl.
"It's my (20th) birthday (Sunday), so I'll be doing something. But I probably won't be watching it," said Williams, who had a 6 a.m. flight to Tampa this morning. "I'll be partying somewhere."
Regardless of the BCS technicalities, USC reveled in the win and its impending national title. Er, split national title.
"It's a feeling I can't describe," Leinart said, "being a part of this team and this program and bringing the glory back to USC."
