Orange Bowl 2005 - from the 50 yard line

Let's face it - everyone expected a better game (Reggie Bush included), not a 55-18 romp. What this Orange Bowl Blowout really came down to was USC's D-line and O-line winning the battles in the trenches. During Oklahoma's 8 minute opening drive, it looked as though if the Sooners might be the team to pull away : 12 plays, 92 yards, and a touchdown. The whole time, even if QB Jason White was being pressured, the USC defenders could not find a way to bring him down and he would get the pass off, 4 of 5 times for a completion. Someone either on the Trojan sideline, or in the defensive huddle noticed this trend and made sure to put a stop to it on all other Oklahoma possesions (up until the game was out of reach). USC responded after being stopped dead on their opening drive. The Trojans mounted a 5 minute drive totaling 6 plays and 75 yards and capped by an amazing, spinning-one-handed-catch by Dominique Byrd. This would set the tone for the rest of the game as USC receivers made three unbelievable catches - and that was just in the endzone. The turning point of this game came minutes later on possibly one of the dumbest plays in Orange Bowl history. Oklahoma Senior Mark Bradley attempted to pick up a punt inside the Sooner 5-yard line - either he forgot to look up, or he thought he was superman because as soon as he grabbed the ball the entire Trojan punt team was there to meet him- he fumbled and USC would run the ball in on its ensuing possesion from the 6 yard-line. Instead of regrouping and possibly bringing his team back, on Oklahoma's next possesion Jason White proved once again that he is not a big-game quarterback. White finished the game 24/36 for 244 yards 2 TD and 3 INT. In two Bowl Games : 37/73, 346 yards, 2 TD and 5 INT. Under pressure, White retreated 10 yards and as he did so threw up a gift to the Trojan secondary instead of throwing it out of bounds or taking a sack. The only chance this ball had of landing on the ground and not in the lap of a red and gold d-back was if all four of them pushed each other to out of the way. Instead, Jason Leach brought in the errant chuck-up for USC which would lead to another Trojan touchdown. 10 minutes and 10 seconds saw a 7-0 Sooner lead, turn into a 28-7 USC rout. Heisman Trophy winner and Trojan QB Matt Leinhart avoided any Heisman jinx throwing for 332 yards on 18/35 passing and an Orange Bowl record 5 TD's. Leinhart was on target - attacking a weak Oklahoma secondary, seen as its Achilles heel for much of the season - and when the potententional first round pick was slightly off target, his receivers didn't cease to amaze with some spectacular catches. Sooner freshman tailback Adrian Peterson almost gets forgotten because he was such a non-factor. The Heisman runner-up notched only 82 yards on 25 carries - his longest a 9 yard burst. The USC d-line did exactly what they had to after the opening drive - make OU one-dimensional by shutting down the run- and once that was done they pressured White into constant mistakes. This game was over by halftime 38-10 thanks in part to a season high four OU turnovers and another Sooner championship game collapse.