Fred Bowen's "The Score" column,
Friday, December 30, 2005, Washington Post

The Score
USC-Texas Provides a Rosy Kickoff to 2006

Most sports columns at the end of the year look back on the big events of the previous 12 months. Sorry, I don't want to write that kind of column this year.

Why? Because I'm really looking forward to the Rose Bowl on Wednesday night. The University of Southern California Trojans and the Texas Longhorns, two undefeated teams, will square off in Pasadena, California, for the national college football championship.

This may be the perfect college football game. USC and Texas are clearly the two best teams in the country. No. 1-ranked USC has won 34 games in a row and in its last game crushed crosstown rival UCLA, 66-19. No. 2-ranked Texas beat Colorado in the Big 12 championship game by an unbelievable score of 70-3.

The two teams feature the three top players in the country. USC has running back Reggie Bush, who just won the Heisman Trophy, an award given to the outstanding college football player each year.

Bush is so fast and shifty that tacklers can barely get a hand on him when he has the football. Rushing, receiving and on kick returns, he gained more than 2,600 yards and scored 18 touchdowns. And he led the country in I-can't-believe-he-did-that plays.

The Trojans also have quarterback Matt Leinart. He won the Heisman Trophy last year but came back to USC for his senior season instead of signing with a pro team. Leinart must have had fun this year. He threw for 27 touchdowns in 12 games.

With stars like that, USC has got to win, right? Not so fast. Texas has Vince Young at quarterback. Young is like Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart rolled into one spectacular player. Young threw for 2,769 yards and 26 TDs this season. But he also can tuck the ball under his arm and run: Young led the Longhorns in rushing, too.

Both teams have big, tough lines on offense and defense. Plus they have terrific playmakers including Dwayne Jarrett, a 6-foot-5 wide receiver for the Trojans, and Jamaal Charles, a freshman running back for the Longhorns. These guys sometimes get lost in all the hoopla about Bush, Leinart and Young.

So who is going to win? I'm taking Texas by a touchdown. If either team has a weakness, it's USC's defensive backfield. Arizona State, Notre Dame and Fresno State moved the ball through the air against the Trojans. I think Texas and Vince Young will do the same.

The game starts at 8 p.m. If you can't stay up for the whole thing, be sure to read the game story in Thursday's newspaper and check out the highlights on TV. It's going to be a great game and a great way to begin another sports year.