College Football Rewind: 5 most important games from 2004 season

1. (1) USC 23, (7) California 17

The second straight year that this happened to be the most important game in college football.

Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers was back one more time to try and upend the Trojans and prevent them from making the national title game for the second straight season, while also trying to make the game themselves. Rodgers would have a record-setting day, setting a then-NCAA record for consecutive passes completed by hitting his first 23.

Cal statistically dominated the game out-gaining the Trojans by over 200 yards, but three turnovers would undo the Golden Bears. Cal had its chance at the end of the game, but USC’s defense made a much-needed stand and held Rodgers and Co. out of the end-zone and preserved their perfect season.

This game meant a lot for one big reason: it not only kept USC in the championship race, but with a win here, Cal would have made the national title game which would have been a program-defining moment and given how the Sooners would perform against USC at the end of the year, Cal very well may have won that game.

Some games carry crazier outcomes than we may realize at the moment and this one was proof of it because Cal has been irrelevant ever since Rodgers left.