OU vs. USC for National Championship

MIAMI, Fla. -- The top two-ranked teams the entire 2004 season, Southern California and Oklahoma, completed their undefeated campaigns this past weekend thus securing their berths into the upcoming FedEx Orange Bowl 2005 National Championship, kicking off at 8 p.m. on January 4, 2005, at Pro Player Stadium.

The game will be telecast live at 8 p.m. on ABC Sports.

THE TEAMS
Pac-10 Champion University of Southern California (12-0, 8-0 Pac-10) went wire-to-wire as the Nation's top-ranked team in 2004 following this weekend's 29-24 triumph over cross-town rival UCLA in their regular season finale at the Rose Bowl.

OU in Orange Bowl | Sooners Win Big 12 Title | 2005 Orange Bowl

Sitting right behind the Trojans each of week of the 2004 season in the ESPN/USA Today Top 25 Coaches Poll was Big 12 Champion University of Oklahoma (12-0, 8-0 Big 12), who routed Colorado, 42-3, in the Dr. Pepper Big 12 Championship Game Saturday evening in Kansas City.

The Trojans completed the fifth perfect regular season in school history and first since 1972, when they won the national championship. It also was USC's 15th straight Pac-10 triumph and 21st consecutive win overall. The Trojans have won 32 of their last 33 games. Pete Carroll became the first Trojans coach to beat Notre Dame and UCLA - USC's biggest rivals - in three straight seasons.

With their win over Colorado in the Big 12 title game, Oklahoma won its 39th Conference championship, and will play for the National title for the third time in five years. Oklahoma won 12 games for the fourth time in Bob Stoops' six years in Norman. To put that figure in perspective, Oklahoma won a total of 12 games in the three seasons prior to Stoops' arrival.

OU National Championships | Conference Titles | Bowl History

THE MATCH-UP
Two of college football's most storied programs USC and Oklahoma are no strangers to the FedEx Orange Bowl.

Most recently, USC defeated Iowa, 38-17, in the 2003 FedEx Orange Bowl to begin their current postseason win streak. Last year, USC defeated Michigan in the Rose Bowl. Two years ago, Carroll, in his second year with the Trojans, teamed with Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Carson Palmer to one of the finest second halves in Orange Bowl history. Tied 10-10 coming out of halftime, USC scored 28 straight points in the second half to stun Heisman runner-up Brad Banks and the Hawkeyes.

By earning a spot in the 2005 National Championship, Oklahoma now moves past Nebraska with their 18th all-time appearance in the FedEx Orange Bowl game dating back 66 years to 1939. Similar to their 2005 opponent, Oklahoma also won its recent appearance in the FedEx Orange Bowl smothering Florida State, 13-2, in the FedEx Orange Bowl 2001 National Championship. In the game, OU's Heisman runner-up quarterback Josh Heupel was able to defeat FSU's Heisman winning Chris Weinke after the Seminole threw two crucial interceptions.

USC has gone 27-15 in the postseason, 1-0 in the FedEx Orange Bowl, while OU is 23-13-1 in postseason Bowl games - 12-5 in Orange Bowl play. USC and OU have a combined 17 National Championships between them. USC has 10 titles (2003, 1978, 1974, 1972, 1967, 1962, 1939, 1932, 1931 and 1928). OU owns seven titles (2000, 1985, 1975, 1974, 1956, 1955 and 1950), four of which came at the Orange Bowl.

Outside of USC's most recent FedEx Orange Bowl appearance, only one other Pac-10 team has played in the Orange Bowl - Washington - who defeated Oklahoma, 28-17, in the 1985 game.

Until a decade ago, the former Big Eight Conference shared a Bowl tie-in with the Orange Bowl. Oklahoma (18) and Nebraska (17) have shared the most visits to Miami of any other team that has played in the Bowl's 71-year history. The Big 12 is 23-24 in its Orange Bowl appearances.

Head to Head, USC holds a 5-2-1 all-time record versus the Sooners dating back to 1963. The two teams have never met in a Bowl game and last squared off during the 1992 regular season. The Trojans currently hold a four-game win streak over Oklahoma.

THE COACHES
Stoops is in his fifth season with the Sooners and holds an overall record of 65-11 and a 41-7 mark in Big 12 games. He began his coaching career in 1983 as a volunteer in the Hawkeye program under Hayden Fry. He worked through the ranks until he became co-defensive coordinator at Kansas State (1991-95). With the Wildcats, he played a key role in their impressive turnaround. During his final four seasons there, Kansas State was 35-12 with three bowl appearances. Eventually, he left for Florida and a three year stint as Steve Spurrier's defensive coordinator.

Carroll is in his fourth season with the Trojans and holds an overall record of 41-9 and a 28-5 mark in Pac-10 games. Carroll came to USC in 2000 after spending 16 seasons in the NFL, last as the Head Coach of the New England Patriots from 1997-99. Carroll was also head coach of the New York Jets in 1994 before heading out west to the San Francisco 49ers as defensive coordinator in 1995-96. From 1974-83, Carroll served in the collegiate ranks with five schools, including Pacific, Arkansas, Iowa State, Ohio State and North Carolina State.

THE PLAYERS
Both USC and Oklahoma's rosters are lined with All-American candidates and Award winners.

USC boasts a pair of Heisman caliber players in quarterback Matt Leinert and tailback Reggie Bush. Leinert is a finalist for the Davey O'Brien Award and is also on the Maxwell and Walter Camp lists. Bush is a finalist for the Doak Walker and Maxwell awards. Additionally, USC has impressive players on defense highlighted by lineman Shaun Cody and linebacker Matt Grootegood.

Oklahoma is equally impressive with returning Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Jason White, who appears to be headed to New York soon as a 2004 Heisman finalist. He most likely will be joined in New York by teammate freshman sensation running back Adrian Peterson, who set the new standard for freshman running backs with 11 100-yard rushing performances in 2004. Helping to pave the way for Peterson in 2004, were linemen Jammal Brown and Vince Carter, both primed for All-American seasons. Defensively, the Sooners have one of the best defensive ends in college football in Dan Cody, who is listed for the Hendricks and Lott awards.

THE BOWL
This season the OBC will crown its 18th consensus National Champion, a new bowl record. But the history won't stop there. Adding to that tradition of championship excellence is an annual excellence unlike any other among the bowls.

Champions of the Orange Bowl have finished in the top six in the season's final poll every year since 1969. That feat is unmatched by any other bowl.

Following Miami's 16-14 win over arch-rival Florida State in the 2004 FedEx Orange Bowl, the Hurricanes finished the season ranked No. 5, marking the 36th consecutive year that the Orange Bowl champion finished in the top six nationally. The Rose Bowl champion is next at eight consecutive years.

In addition, since 1969, the Orange Bowl winner has finished in the top three in the Associated Press poll 25 times. That also outpaces the other BCS bowls, which include the Sugar (22 times), Fiesta (14 times), and Rose (13 times).

Nebraska and Oklahoma have enjoyed much of the success at the Orange Bowl, having claimed four National Titles each. Since 1969, the two historic universities have combined for 14 Orange Bowl championships and been crowned National Champion seven times at the Orange Bowl, including Oklahoma's 13-2 win over Florida State in 2001.

-- Release Courtesy the Orange Bowl

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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