Ranking the 30 Greatest National Championship Games
By Zach Bigalke
25. 2005 Orange Bowl
#1 USC d. #2 Oklahoma 55-19
BEFORE THE GAME
The 2004 season revealed the limitations of the BCS model, as three power-conference teams finished with undefeated records. With only two spots available for its championship game, one of these three league winners would end up as the odd program out. No matter who was left out, that team would wonder if it might have been a national champion. For the second straight year, there was also the risk that the AP would go against the BCS championship and select the first team out as its top team.
The year before it had been USC that ended up as the AP champion after getting leapfrogged by LSU in the final BCS rankings. Locked into the top spot since the first 2004 rankings on October 18, the Trojans secured their position in the big game by taking down rival UCLA in the final game of the regular season. The question came down to whether Tommy Tuberville’s 12-0 SEC champion Auburn squad or Bob Stoops’ 12-0 Big 12 champs Oklahoma should face USC.
The order had been USC, Oklahoma, and Auburn ever since Miami’s loss at North Carolina on October 30. With each passing week, the three teams remained locked in that hierarchy. Despite both playing four games against teams that ended up ranked in the final BCS Top 25, Oklahoma’s schedule was deemed slightly stronger by the BCS computers and they also benefitted from going wire-to-wire as the second-ranked team in both human polls. Auburn would go on to win a tight defensive contest against ACC champ Virginia Tech and finish second in the final AP and Coaches polls.
THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Oklahoma had made it to Miami, and they even seemed ready to give USC a game. The Sooners scored first midway through the first quarter as 2003 Heisman winner Jason White found Travis Wilson for a five-yard touchdown pass. Their lead would last all of 3:17, as the Trojans marched downfield and 2004 Heisman winner Matt Leinart found Dominique Byrd for a 33-yard TD reception. With metronomic regularity USC scored thrice more to lead 28-7 less than six minutes into the second quarter. Oklahoma kicked a field goal, but they were still down 38-10 at halftime after coughing up two more late scores before the break.
USC didn’t let up in the second half, as Leinart won the first-ever duel of Heisman-winning quarterbacks in a national championship game. He completed just 18 of his 35 attempts for his lowest completion percentage of the year, but he made up for it with 332 yards and five touchdowns. By comparison, the Trojans defense allowed White to complete 24 of 36 — but he only managed to gain 244 yards and two touchdowns while also tossing three interceptions. A late Oklahoma safety and quick touchdown on the ensuing drive made the score a little more respectable, but there was no dissent as to who was national champion after the performance.