BCS Vacates 2004 USC Championship

The inevitable has come to pass. USC is no longer the 2004 Bowl Championship Series champion, per a press release issued Monday afternoon. The championship doesn’t negate the Trojans’ 55-19 rout of Oklahoma, nor does it mean fellow undefeateds Utah and/or Auburn stake any claim to the American Football Coaches Association crystal football. There is simply no champion, even if millions watched one crowned. The 2004 season can now be classified as a Dusty Finish.

The term comes from pro wrestler and writer Dusty Rhodes, who was notorious for booking what are called false finishes. These were pinfalls scored but later retracted in order to either send fans home from an event happy or further storylines. The most famous Dusty Finish is actually not attributed to Rhodes. That paragon of virtue Hulk Hogan was embroiled in a feud with the dastardly Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase. Unable to trump Hogan through his own merit, DiBiase used his riches to buy off Andre The Giant, hire an imposter referee, and claim the World Wrestling Federation title. As DiBiase’s plan came to light, WWF President Jack Tunney declared the title change from Hogan-to-Andre-to-DiBiase null and void, and the title was vacated.

How does this relate to the 2004 BCS championship, or anything college football-related? Well, a new champion was determined via tournament, which served as the late Macho Man Randy Savage’s launching pad to super stardom. Playoff supporters, consider your stance vindicated.