Former Texas Longhorns Coach Mack Brown Recalls Challenge of USC Championship Matchup

Every college football fan knows in some way or another about the 2006 Rose Bowl. For some fans, they were able to witness the game; for others, they've lived it through highlights on YouTube.

But for Texas Longhorns fans, and USC Trojans fans, that game was everything.

In what was dubbed one of the greatest college football games of all time, the Longhorns battled back in the fourth quarter and walked it off with Vince Young's run to the corner, which is heard around the world.

The Team of the Century

On The Triple Option podcast, hosted by Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram III, and Rob Stone, Mack Brown discussed the matchup between the two teams in the 2006 Rose Bowl.

“Those are the tough games for coaches. But when you can look up to a USC with two Heisman Trophy winners, it’s really cool. And I knew we were good. So we weren’t scared. I knew we had a chance to be really, really good. I thought it would be the game that it was.”

However, it wasn't the Trojans' Heisman winners of Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush that stole the show; it was the Longhorns' signal caller who was the star of the night. Vince Young would finish the game completing 30 of his 40 pass attempts for 267 yards, with 19 carries for 200 yards and three touchdowns, capped by an eight-yard scramble to the corner of the endzone with 19 seconds left.

Brown knew going into the game what the challenges would be for his team, knowing that a win would not only be the biggest of his career but could also help kickstart his own dynasty on the Forty Acres, much like Pete Carrol has done with USC.

“They were the team of the century. They’d won 36 games, I think they’d won two national championships, and just dominated everybody. So it was fun to watch them. And what a great challenge. Coaches love challenges. You don’t like those games where it’s boring and nobody cares, and if you win it, it’s unimportant, and if you lose it, you get fired."

The Texas Longhorns won because they were able to keep up with Pete Carroll's offense. Leinart finished 29 for 40 with 365 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. Reggie Bush had 177 all-purpose yards and a touchdown.

Now, 20 years later, the Longhorns find themselves in a similar spot, hoping to begin their own run at a national title under Steve Sarkisian.