USC vs. Notre Dame 2005
Episode 5: Darth Poodle (everybody loves the Imperial March!)
Wake up the echoes . . . not so much. Notre Dame did pull out all the stops and almost pulled off the classic upset. More likely, based on the result of this year's game, it seems that Notre Dame merely used up all their mojo for at least the next four years (or did Dr. Evil just steal it).
I'm sure somebody will soon put together something pretty cool from this year's game.
The Notre Dame game was the turning point of the season. Each of the past three seasons has had one, after which the team never looked back. In 2002, it was the Cal game. USC lost the previous week in overtime at Wazzu. Trailing Cal by 21-3, USC scored 27 consecutive points to win the game 30-28. USC blew out its remaining 7 opponents, including Iowa in the Orange Bowl.
In 2003, it was the ASU game. USC lost its previous game in three overtimes to Cal (the Trojans’ last loss to date). USC was down 17-10 at halftime. Matt Leinart had been knocked out of the game in the first half with knee and ankle injuries. With Brandon Hance warming up to start the second half, Leinart asked to be put back in. The Trojans scored 27 unanswered points to win 37-17. The team won its remaining eight games by an average of more than 26 points, including a Rose Bowl win over Michigan to win its first national championship since 1978.
In 2004, it was again the Cal game. With USC leading by six, Cal advanced to first and goal with less than two minutes remaining. The Cal QB, Aaron Rodgers, had earlier in the game set the NCAA single-game record for consecutive completions. The USC defense held, sacking Rodgers on second down and forcing three incompletions. The Trojans won their remaining eight games. Only the UCLA game was close, but USC rebounded from that game to destroy Oklahoma 55-19 in the Orange Bowl.
The Notre Dame game was also a turning point for Leinart. The pressure of maintaining a school-record winning streak and leading the team to an unprecedented third national title was weighing heavily on the fifth-year Heisman-trophy winning QB. He had suffered a concussion and required stitches two weeks prior in a comeback victory over ASU. He had his worst game of the season at Notre Dame, completing only 53% of his passes with two interceptions and zero touchdowns. But, he led the most exciting game-winning drive of the season, including the amazing fourth and nine toss to Dwayne Jarrett from the USC 26 with 1:32 to go. Reading about that play today still gives me shivers.After Notre Dame, the pressure lifted from Leinart’s shoulders and he started enjoying playing football again.
There has been some speculation that the pressure of securing his legacy as the greatest college quarterback in history and winning an unprecedented third-consecutive national championship will be too much pressure for Leinart. He let his emotions get the better of him in the UCLA game, the final home game of his career. I don’t see that happening. I expect a performance more like the one following his emotionally-draining experience at Notre Dame, after which he threw for four touchdowns, zero interceptions, and a 77% completion rate at Washington.
If USC beats UCLA in two weeks and Reggie Bush wins the Heisman, will his outstanding, record-setting performance in the Fresno State game go down as the moment when he locked up the trophy? Ivan Maisel thinks so.
Update: Bush makes Stewart Mandel rethink his Heisman vote -It was like watching one of those hilarious high-school tapes where some future college star runs roughshod over a bunch of private-school rich kids.
Further update: Pete Fiutak makes a persuasive argument for Matt Leinart to repeat as Heisman winner -Simply put, if USC beats UCLA and plays for the national title, based on his accomplishments, Leniart will be the greatest college football quarterback of all-time. The guy is overqualified for the honor of being the second two-time Heisman winner.
[. . .]
If USC goes on to win the national title, it’s not an overstatement by any stretch to call Leinart’s pass to Dwayne Jarrett for a 61-yard gain on fourth and nine in the final moments against Notre Dame the greatest throw of all-time.
Another Update: The best ever? Brian Meehan of The Oregonian also thinks so.
If you haven’t figured it out by now, I’m a USC Trojans fan – I have been since my freshman year, the fall ’92 season. That means I had the good fortune to experience the worst decade of USC football in the last 40 or 50 years. I say good fortune because now I understand how special this current run is. Anyway . . . .
USC’s last loss was to Cal on September 27, 2003. I remember a sense of dread building as that game wore on; I just knew we were going to lose (to the annoyance of those around me watching the game). I haven’t experienced that feeling since. If memory serves, that Cal game was USC’s only close game in 2003. There were a number of relatively close games in 2004, but only one was in doubt in the final moments. This year’s game in South Bend was easily USC’s closest and hardest fought game during the current 28-game winning streak. Still, even at 4th and 9 from the USC 26 with 1:32 to go, I wasn’t panicking. Don’t get me wrong, I was realistic about the Trojan’s chances at that point, but I hadn’t lost hope. As soon as Leinart completed that 61-yard reception to Jarrett, I knew we were going to win.
For me, the most impressive thing about USC football over the past 2+ years has been their character; they’re confident, they never give up, and given the opportunity to seize victory, you can be sure they will take it.
By the way, check out these must-see videos of the last moments of the USC-ND game, recorded and shared by the Irish Trojan. They almost brought tears to my eyes. Amazing.
