USC Football: Iconic "Bush Push" Play Revisited by Matt Leinart and Former Rival
Can you believe that it’s been 18 years since the “Bush Push?”
Time has flown since then. The battles between USC and Notre Dame have come and gone, but the one that took place on the night of October 15, 2005, at South Bend is unmatched.
To this day, it’s widely discussed, and whether you are a Trojan fan or a Fighting Irish fan, you either love it or hate it. With the 94th meeting taking place tomorrow, legends from each school and players from that "Bush Push" game. USC legend Matt Leinart and Notre Dame legend Brady Quinn took a stroll down memory lane to revisit the game and controversial play.
If you're unfamiliar with the iconic game, let's do a quick review.
On the final play of the game, famously known as the "Bush Push," an iconic moment in college football, there was a bit of trickery at play. USC head coach Pete Carroll signaled to Matt Leinart to spike the ball, suggesting they should aim for a tie and head into overtime. However, it was all a ruse. In reality, Carroll wanted Leinart to go for the touchdown and win the game right there. Leinart, guided by Reggie Bush, decided to keep the ball and attempt to sneak into the end zone. When he encountered the defensive line of Notre Dame, Bush took matters into his own hands and gave him that extra push needed to secure the game-winning touchdown with little time left on the clock.
Technically, the play is an illegal one. According to Section 3, Article 2b, the runner shall not grasp a teammate, and no other player of his team shall grasp, push, lift, or charge into him to assist him in forward progress. However, the play is hardly called for a flag, and the rest is history.
It's an imperfect game, and USC fans thank their lucky stars that a flag was not thrown.
This Trojans team will look to make history of their own against Notre Dame, and they're going to need all their might, plus more, to get out of South Bend with a win.
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