Now I am a unabashed Notre Dame football fan and I wont apologize for it. This Saturday our hated rivals, the USC Trojans, are coming down to South Bend. It's going to be the first time USC plays at South Bend at night. Both teams are unranked so its not as big a game nationally then it should be but, for me, I am so hyped up and excited for this game. Plus whenever I see Notre Dame and USC match up it brings back memories of that classic game from 2005. Lets hop back in the time machine and talk about the game that has been known as "The Bush Push".
October 15, 2005. USC came into Notre Dame Stadium at the height of their powers. Defending National Champions. Matt Leinart was the reining Heisman winner and Reggie Bush was on his way to a Heisman and even was considered a every down back. USC was also on a 27 game win streak. It was the first year of the promising Charlie Weis era. ND was 4-1 and ranked 9th in the polls. Brady Quinn was establishing himself as a great college quarterback. This game was hyped from the start. College Gameday was there. The Irish came out in the green uniforms. It was setting up to be a classic game. And it was.
The Irish led at halftime 21-14 due to a Quinn-Samardzija touchdown connection and punt return TD by Tom Zbikowski. Reggie Bush had a 45 yard TD run to tie it at 21 in the 3rd and in the 4th quarter is when the real fun began. Bush and Leinart ripped off a 80 yard drive to take a 28-24 lead with 5 minutes left. Then it was up to Quinn try to put a stamp at Touchdown Jesus. He led a great, what seemed at the time, a game winning drive. I remember when Quinn ran that touchdown in to take the lead 31-28, I was absolutely freaking out. I knew there was still about 2 minutes left but I couldn't help thinking that Irish football is back and that we took down the mighty Trojans. Shame on me.
All I remember is that USC had to convert a 4th and 9. Leinart dropped back and throw a low fade to Dwayne Jarret. The corner was right there and all he had to was stick his right hand out, knock it down, and the Irish win. Nope, instead Jarret catches and almost takes to the house but was stopped at the 13 yard line. USC got down to the 2 and Leinart rolled out this left and tried to jump into the end zone. He got stuffed, fumbled out of bounds, the clock ran out, players and fans alike rushed the field and the game was over. That's I what I thought. I started to celebrate. I was watching the game with my buddy, Seth, and you can ask him, I started to jump around and celebrating, yelling "WE JUST BEAT USC!!". As Lee Corso says, "Not so fast, my friend". There was still 7 seconds on the clock. Leinart ended up trying to sneak it in, got stuffed, but was helped in by Reggie Bush pushing him in. Game over. Trojans 34 Irish 31. I was devastated obviously. The push by Bush was crap but that never gets called.
It was one of the great college games and one of the best I've ever seen. USC ended up losing to Texas in the title game while Notre Dame got spanked by Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. Its crazy to think about where all the key guys from that game are now. Pete Carroll is coaching the Seahawks. Weis famously flamed out at Notre Dame and is now offensive coordinator of Florida. Bush got a Super Bowl ring but is a glorified 3rd down back in the NFL. And both starting quarterbacks, Leinart and Quinn are back ups in the NFL. Lets hope this Saturday that this game can live up to that game 6 years ago. Only that the Fighting Irish come out on top.
Until next time...
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