When USC plays Texas at 8 p.m. on Saturday, it will once again open the wound for some former Trojans who played in that legendary 2006 Rose Bowl Game against the Longhorns, who won 41-38 in what is considered the crown jewel of the BCS era.
“It does bring flashbacks. Especially the close game they played last year,” said Oscar Lua, who started at linebacker for the Trojans in Rose Bowl matchup. “Every time we talk about this game we have to relive the story of how we lost the Rose Bowl.
“It still hurts. Everything was on the line. It was for a three-peat. It’s kind of a bummer.”
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Another former USC linebacker, Collin Ashton, will attend Saturday’s game in Austin, eager to see if the Trojans can win two straight over the Longhorns. USC last year won 27-24 in double-overtime on the back of quarterback Sam Darnold.
“I was happy for a little retribution last year,” Ashton said. “I would have liked to win by more but a W is a W.”
Ashton, who called USC’s defensive signals on the Longhorns’ game-winning drive, remembers going to the sideline right before quarterback Vince Young’s fourth-down touchdown run.
“Is this not the most fun you’ve had in your entire life?” USC coach Pete Carroll told Ashton with his typical enthusiasm.
USC blitzed Young on fourth-and-5 from the 9-yard line, but the quarterback calmly ignored the six-man rush and ran into the end zone, captured perfectly by legendary announcer Keith Jackson.
“In the moment, it happened so fast,” Ashton said. “I don’t think we ever felt we would lose that game.”
Naturally, there is room for second-guessing nearly 13 years later. Lua, who had six tackles and forced a fumble against the Longhorns, was surprised USC played a nickel defense the final series.
“It was an odd place to have (nickel),” Lua said. “It didn’t make sense in the red zone. It took out the bulk on the inside.”
The most controversial moment for USC fans is when Texas stopped tailback LenDale White on a fourth-and-2 from the Longhorns’ 45-yard line. Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush was not even on the field for the play, which allowed Texas safety Michael Huff to move up to the line of scrimmage and help tackle White.
“We gave LenDale the ball,” Lua said. “(But) we didn’t have Reggie on the field. That was a big problem.”
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After the game, USC players — who had a 34-game win streak and at least a share of the last two national championship heading into the Rose Bowl — went back to their Century City hotel for a pre-planned national championship party.
“Everybody went to the ball room and everyone drank a lot,” Lua said. “There was a lot of what-ifs. It was a little surreal. We had had so much success.”
Said Ashton: “It was definitely not a party. It was more of a reflection.”
Whatever happens when the teams meet on Saturday will have a tough time being as colorful as the last time USC played Texas in Austin. The Trojans won 10-6 in 1966, but the game is more noteworthy for some because legendary actor John Wayne watched from the USC sideline.
“He would make a Hook 'em Horns sign to the crowd and they were cheering,” former USC assistant coach Dave Levy said. “But he was saying (expletive) ‘em Horns.”
Levy also remembered Wayne happily drinking a “beverage” on the sideline.
“During the game, he was right behind us and they had a law banning alcohol,” Levy said. “He had an assistant that kept bringing him a `Coke.’“
Wayne was on his way to Mexico to film the movie “The War Wagon,” and attended the game with fellow actor, Bruce Cabot. The morning of the game, he spoke to the Trojans.
“He talked about his time at the university and and how much he appreciated his time,” Levy said.
It’s doubtful USC will get a similar pregame speech on Saturday.