06-19-2004, 10:55 PM
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#34
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MVP
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Re: Playoffs 2004- What might have been
And so here it was, the national championship game. Despite being on the road, the Hurricanes, fresh off their destruction of Oklahoma, were widely considered the favorites. Someone should have told Southern Cal. The defenses held sway in the first quarter, but USC got going in the second, moving the ball through a combination of out patterns to their big #1 receiver and swings to the backs. The Trojans moved down to the Miami goal line with startling quickness, and a QB sneak resulting in a 7-0 USC lead. Miami answered back on the ground, as their halfback busted a 54 yard touchdown run to tie the score, and it looked like the fireworks were on. USC ran the kickoff back to the 40, and they made good use of the field position, this time driving primarily on the ground. A 1 yard plunge by the fullback made it a 14-7 game. At this point, Miami's achilles heel made its presence known, as their quarterback made a poor decision under pressure, resulting in an interception. USC played keep away for the rest of the half, using short, safe passes to move into field goal range. A successful kick made it 17-7 at the half.
In the second half, the dangerous Miami ground game flashed again, as their halfback broke of a 60 yard run to paydirt, closing the gap to three. But the Trojans would not be rattled. Their quarterback kept plugging away, mixing in short passes and runs, controlling the down and distance, allowing the Trojans to convert on 2/3rd of their third down attempts throughout the game. They drove deep into the red zone, and a quick flip to an uncovered tight end resulted in a touchdown that made the game 24-14. Miami would never get any closer. A late USC field goal added insult to injury, and when the gun sounded, the Trojans were undisputed national champions, 27-14.
Someone tell LSU.
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