Fruits of Victory; Agony of BCS

USC players sat sullenly last year as they watched the televised announcement of the final bowl championship series standings.

The Trojans had finished the season ranked No. 1 in both major polls but got knocked out of the BCS title game by computers.

On Sunday, there were no computer glitches -- or long faces -- in USC’s dining hall.

Instead, there were cheers and smiles as the top-ranked and unbeaten Trojans got televised confirmation that they would play unbeaten No. 2 Oklahoma for the national title in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 4 in Miami.

“It’s a matchup that’s just been waiting to happen,” senior defensive lineman Shaun Cody said.

Oklahoma, which routed Colorado in the Big 12 Conference championship game Saturday, will play in the BCS title game for the third time in five years. The Sooners last won the championship when they defeated Florida State in the Orange Bowl in January 2001.

USC will be making its first BCS championship game appearance and its second Orange Bowl appearance in three years. In 2003, USC defeated Iowa at Pro Player Stadium.

Last season, after the computers left them third in the final BCS standings, the Trojans defeated Michigan in the Rose Bowl. USC claimed a share of the national title by finishing first in the Associated Press media poll.

“I didn’t even watch the show last year -- I knew we were going to be [left] out of the situation,” sophomore running back LenDale White said. “This year, it was fun to look up there and see your name No. 1. But that means nothing ... until you finish up.”

USC completed its first perfect regular season since 1972 Saturday when the Trojans survived a scare from rival UCLA, 29-24.

Now Coach Pete Carroll’s star-studded Trojans meet Bob Stoops’ star-studded Sooners.

Neither USC junior quarterback Matt Leinart nor sophomore running back Reggie Bush was present at USC’s Galen Center on Sunday, but both are expected to be in New York this weekend when the winner of the Heisman Trophy will be announced.

Oklahoma senior quarterback Jason White, the 2003 Heisman winner, and freshman running back Adrian Peterson also are expected to be present.

Both teams also feature outstanding defenses.

“It’s magical,” Carroll said. “It’s an awesome matchup.”

It also is an even one, according to Stoops.

“There are a lot of similarities in the way the teams match up and the way we play,” Stoops said. “I don’t want to say mirror images, but there are a lot of similarities in the way we play on both sides of the ball.”

USC is 5-2-1 against Oklahoma. The teams have not played since 1992 when unranked USC defeated the No. 13 Sooners, 20-10, at Norman, Okla., by scoring all of its points in the fourth quarter.

USC is 1-1-1 against Oklahoma when the Trojans are ranked No. 1. In 1981, top-ranked USC defeated No. 2 Oklahoma, 28-24, on a last-second pass from John Mazur to tight end Fred Cornwell at the Coliseum.

Twenty-three seasons later, the schools will play for the national championship.

USC offensive lineman John Drake said it was a just reward for the players’ hard work on the field and in the weight room.

“When you wake up at 6 o’clock in the morning and you wonder why you do it, and then you come here today and you’re playing for the national championship, it answers all the questions for you,” Drake said.

Cody said he felt for Auburn, which also finished 12-0 but wound up third in the BCS standings. The Tigers will play Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl.

“I know how hard it is to put on a smiley face and tell everybody how happy you are that you made it to this bowl or that bowl,” said Cody, a Lombardi Award finalist. “But when you’re not getting a chance to go to the big dance -- even more so for them because they’re undefeated -- it’s definitely got to be tough for them.”

Carroll said he felt for California, which suffered its only loss against USC, but lost its chance to play in the Rose Bowl when it slipped from fourth to fifth in the BCS standings. The Golden Bears (10-1) will play Texas Tech in the Holiday Bowl.

USC will be off this week while taking final exams. Leinart, Bush, Cody and senior linebacker Matt Grootegoed also will be traveling to awards ceremonies.

USC resumes practice Saturday and will depart for Miami on Dec. 28.

Oklahoma’s preparation also is expected to begin soon.

Stoops said he was awaiting a tape from his brother, Arizona Coach Mike Stoops, so he could begin reviewing the Trojans’ 49-9 victory over the Wildcats.

“It’s on its way,” Bob Stoops said. “I didn’t want to get ahead of ourselves and jinx ourselves by sending it too soon.”