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 Exclusive: Texas returns to No. 1 !!
November 23, 2005
By MCSPOLL.com staff
Question: What do the Fresno State and Texas football teams have in common this season?
Answer: Both programs know what it's like to be ahead of Southern California.
With 9:47 left in last Saturday's game at the Coliseum, Fresno State held a 42-41 advantage over the Trojans … after manhandling the defending national champions for most of the first half. It took a record-setting performance by Heisman Trophy candidate Reggie Bush and two late scores by USC to survive the scare by the No. 17 Bulldogs.
While most of the nation was asleep by 2:30 a.m.--the time the game ended--the Master Coaches stay tuned to the late-night epic.
"You couldn't leave it," said former Michigan head coach Bo Schembechler. "You didn't know what was going to happen next."
The thrilling outcome of the hard-fought contest may have extended USC's nation's longest winning streak to 33 games, but it wasn't enough to keep the Trojans' hold on the No. 1 spot in Week Nine of the MCS poll. During Wednesday's teleconference call, the Master Coaches pointed to USC's porous defense as the reason they once again leapfrogged Texas ahead of the Trojans in this week's Top 25 rankings.
As former Iowa head coach Hayden Fry observed: "I have a hard time voting for a team No. 1 in the nation when they get five turnovers from the other team and still give up 42 points."
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Southern California running back Reggie Bush received an "MCS Game Ball" for his performance against Fresno State. With his Pac-10 record 513 all-purpose yards Saturday night, USC running back Reggie Bush may have locked up the trophy for the nation's best college football player by incorporating a few basketball moves along the way.
At least that's how his teammates described his 50-yard touchdown run in the third quarter of a 50-42 Trojan victory. When cornered, Bush came to a stop, put the ball behind his back and raced across the field to finish in the end zone. Included in his 294 rushing yards were a 45-yard TD romp and a few other spin moves.
"Tonight," said his stepfather LaMar Griffin, "I think he won the Heisman Trophy."
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No. 16 Fresno State has accepted a bid to play in the Liberty Bowl on New Year's Eve.
The game will mark the Bulldogs (8-2, 6-0 Western Athletic Conference) first appearance in a bowl east of the Mississippi River.
The Liberty Bowl is Dec. 31 and will also feature the top Conference USA team.
"We are thrilled to play in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl," Fresno St. coach Pat Hill said. "This is going to be a great experience for our team and our fans to participate in such a historic bowl game."
During the Master Coaches' conference call discussing the rankings of the teams and the performances of the Top 25 teams from last week, future inductee to the College Football Hall of Fame, Don Nehlen said, "If USC is as good as everyone thinks they are, then Fresno State is not far behind."
Fresno State nearly upset top-ranked Southern California on Saturday night after scoring twice in a span of 12 seconds to take a one-point lead with less than 10 minutes left. But the Trojans had two late scores to win 50-42.
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