Sweet as Sugar

The bowl championship series selection process is beyond their control.

So is the voting in the media and coaches’ polls.

The only part of the crazy college football equation that USC knew was not open to debate was the Trojans’ performance on the field.

So on Thursday, on one of college football’s grandest stages, quarterback Matt Leinart and the top-ranked Trojans went out and played a game for the ages.

Leinart accounted for four touchdowns, and a punishing Trojan defense dominated No. 4-ranked Michigan as USC won the Rose Bowl and proclaimed itself worthy of a national title with a 28-14 victory before a sellout crowd of 93,849.

“There is no doubt in my mind that we are No. 1,” said Leinart, dismissing the BCS title game that will be played Sunday in the Sugar Bowl. “We dominated a great Michigan team and we are the best team in the nation.”

Leinart, who was regarded as the Trojans’ biggest question mark before the season, finished with an exclamation point.

The redshirt sophomore threw touchdown passes to Keary Colbert and LenDale White to put the Trojans ahead, 14-0. He passed to Colbert for another score for a 21-0 lead early in the third quarter. Finally, Leinart all but clinched the victory by catching a touchdown pass from All-American wide receiver Mike Williams on a spectacular play for a 28-7 lead.

“It’s been an unbelievable year and I would never have expected this to happen,” said Leinart, who was named the game’s most valuable player after completing 23 of 34 passes for 327 yards without an interception against the nation’s sixth-ranked pass defense.

USC, ranked No. 1 in both the Associated Press media and the USA Today/ESPN coaches’ polls, cannot officially claim a share of its ninth national championship until late Sunday when results of the final AP poll are announced.

No team that entered a bowl game ranked No. 1 in the AP poll, and won, has failed to maintain its ranking in the final poll.

The winner of the Sugar Bowl, designated as this year’s BCS title game, will, by contract, be considered the BCS champion.

But that did not matter to USC, which felt it rightfully won its first national championship since 1978.

“We really do feel like that,” said Coach Pete Carroll, who is 23-3 in the last two seasons. “We know what we accomplished, and we know how it feels to accomplish what we did this season. I think it’s quite clear.”

USC assumed clear control of the game late in the third quarter after Michigan scored to cut the Trojans’ lead to 21-7.

On the ensuing possession, USC drove from its 28-yard line to the Wolverine 15 to set the stage for one of the most clever and well-executed plays that offensive coordinator Norm Chow has called this season.

On second and goal, Leinart pitched to tailback Hershel Dennis, who headed toward the right sideline. Dennis pitched the ball to Williams, who threw a perfect pass to Leinart along the left sideline. Leinart cruised into the end zone for a 28-7 lead.

“I’m not very fast but I’ve got good hands and Mike threw a perfect ball,” Leinart said.

Said Carroll: “We worked on that play in practice time and time again. You talk about players making great plays, that was probably the play of the game.”

USC’s defensive line was the dominant force in the game.

The Trojans registered a season-high nine sacks against a Michigan offensive front that had surrendered 15 sacks all season. USC’s linemen, linebackers and defensive backs dropped Michigan quarterback John Navarre for 69 yards in losses and pounded him after he released the ball.

“I knew they had the ability to bring pressure, but not that much,” said Navarre, who completed 27 of 46 passes for 271 yards and a touchdown with one interception.

Michigan Coach Lloyd Carr said USC’s defensive front was the difference.

“You have to give the guys up front credit for the havoc they created,” Carr said.

All-American end Kenechi Udeze led the way with three sacks for the Trojans, who also limited All-American tailback Chris Perry to 85 yards rushing, 47 below the Doak Walker Award winner’s season average.

“There was nothing that was going to stop us,” Udeze said. “We worked hard to play this kind of game all season. We just kept coming. We never let up.”

Senior defensive back Will Poole had two sacks, and linebacker Dallas Sartz, cornerback Marcell Allmond, cornerback Ronald Nunn and lineman Manuel Wright had one each.

Defensive tackle Shaun Cody blocked a first-quarter field-goal attempt that turned the momentum in USC’s favor. He also harassed Navarre throughout the game.

“I think they were overwhelmed by our speed,” said Cody, who wore a T-shirt that read, “Smells Like Roses, Tastes Like Sugar,” to the postgame press conference. “We’re No. 1.”

USC sacked Navarre five times in the first half and took advantage of Cody’s third blocked field goal of the season and a freak interception by linebacker Lofa Tatupu to take a 14-0 halftime lead.

On Oct. 10, Michigan had trailed, 14-0, at halftime, and 28-7 in the third quarter against Minnesota. The Wolverines came back to win, 38-35, the greatest comeback victory in school history.

But there was to be no repeat against a Trojan team that finished 12-1, USC’s best record since 1978.

“They are a very athletic group and they did what they needed to do,” said Perry, who scored on a two-yard run with 11:06 remaining to make the score 28-14.

With kicker Ryan Killeen booting kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks and punter Tom Malone neutralizing return specialist Steve Breaston with kicks deep into Michigan territory, the Trojan defense took over after bending on the game’s first possession.

Michigan (10-3) had outscored opponents, 102-17, in first quarters. The Wolverines appeared to be in form on the opening possession when Navarre completed an 11-yard pass to tight end Tyler Ecker on fourth and four to advance the ball to the Trojan 23.

But when Garrett Rivas attempted a 47-yard field goal with 8:52 left in the quarter, Cody broke through and blocked it.

USC wasted no time capitalizing.

Leinart completed passes to fullback Brandon Hancock, Colbert and Reggie Bush before lofting a 25-yard touchdown pass to Colbert, USC’s career receptions leader, who finished the game with six receptions for 149 yards.

The Trojans could do nothing with their next three possessions, but once again the defense came up with a clutch play.

After Justin Wyatt tackled Breaston on a punt return at the Michigan six, the Wolverines ran five plays and faced third and 18 at the nine.

Navarre threw a pass toward wide receiver Braylon Edwards, but the ball was underthrown and hit Edwards’ foot.

The ball popped into the air between Tatupu and Jason Leach. Tatupu grabbed it and ran 26 yards down the left side to the three.

Two plays later, from the six, Leinart threw a pass to White in the left flat. The powerful tailback slipped through the grasp of cornerback Jeremy LeSueur and dived into the end zone for a 14-0 lead with 4:50 left in the half.

The Trojans went ahead, 21-0, on a 47-yard touchdown pass play from Leinart to Colbert, who made a one-handed catch, on the first possession of the third quarter.

Michigan finally scored on Navarre’s five-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tim Massaquoi with 5:49 left in the quarter, but the Trojans seemed to take the fight out of the Wolverines on the ensuing possession when Williams connected with Leinart.

John Robinson, who coached USC’s last national championship team, and Pro Football Hall of Famers Marcus Allen and Ronnie Lott, who played on the 1978 team, were among those who saw Leinart make his catch.

This year’s Trojans believe they have completed the link to the past.

“There is no doubt about it,” offensive lineman Fred Matua said. “USC is back.”

*

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

*

*--* USC in Rose Bowl USC is 21-8 in the Rose Bowl Season Result 2003 USC 28, Michigan 14 1995 USC 41, Northwestern 32 1989 USC 17, Michigan 10 1988 Michigan 22, USC 14 1987 Michigan State 20, USC 17 1984 USC 20, Ohio State 17 1979 USC 17, Ohio State 16 1978 USC 17, Michigan 10 1976 USC 14, Michigan 6 1974 USC 18, Ohio State 17 1973 Ohio State 42, USC 21 1972 USC 42, Ohio State 17 1969 USC 10, Michigan 3 1968 Ohio State 27, USC 16 1967 USC 14, Indiana 3 1966 Purdue 14, USC 13 1962 USC 42, Wisconsin 37 1954 Ohio State 20, USC 7 1952 USC 7, Wisconsin 0 1947 Michigan 49, USC 0 1945 Alabama 34, USC 14 1944 USC 25, Tennessee 0 1943 USC 29, Washington 0 1939 USC 14, Tennessee 0 1938 USC 7, Duke 3 1932 USC 35, Pittsburgh 0 1931 USC 21, Tulane 12 1929 USC 47, Pittsburgh 14 1922 USC 14, Pittsburgh 3

*--*

*

LOGS

*--* MICHIGAN (10-3) Date Opponent Result Aug. 30 Central Michigan W 45-7 Sept. 6 Houston W 50-3 Sept. 13 Notre Dame W 38-0 Sept. 20 at Oregon L 31-27 Sept. 27 Indiana W 31-17 Oct. 4 at No. 12 Iowa L 30-27 Oct. 10 at No. 20 Minnesota W 38-35 Oct. 18 Illinois W 56-14 Oct. 25 No. 13 Purdue W 31-3 Nov. 1 at Michigan State W 27-20 Nov. 15 at Northwestern W 41-10 Nov. 22 No. 6 Ohio State W 35-21 Jan. 1 No. 1 USC L 28-14 USC (12-1) Date Opponent Result Aug. 30 at No. 6 Auburn W 23-0 Sept. 6 BYU W 35-18 Sept. 13 Hawaii W 61-32 Sept. 27 at California L 34-31, 3OT Oct. 4 at Arizona State W 37-17 Oct. 11 Stanford W 44-21 Oct. 18 at Notre Dame W 45-14 Oct. 25 at Washington W 43-23 Nov. 1 No. 14 Washington State W 43-16 Nov. 15 at Arizona W 45-0 Nov. 22 UCLA W 47-22 Dec. 6 Oregon State W 52-28 Jan. 1 vs. No. 4 Michigan W 28-14

*--*