Open Mic: Notre Dame-USC Game a Great Disappointment

When I received an e-mail from Zander to write an article about the biggest disappointment I've witnessed in sports, only one story came to mind.

Living in Chicago, the trip to the University of Notre Dame game is a long haul of about two and a half hours. With the game starting around 3 p.m. you need to get there early for parking, so you should leave around 9 a.m.

Although it was an early Saturday morning, the air was electric as we drove the two and a half hours because I was going to watch Notre Dame take on the number one team in the country, the University of Southern California.

As we arrived, we did the usual tailgate activities, cooking out, drinking, and when you're at Notre Dame you need to see the sights. The grotto, golden dome, and touchdown Jesus are only some of the main attractions. But on this day, I decided to walk over and watch the Gameday breakdown of the upcoming game.

USC was loaded with talent and had past Heisman winner in Matt Leinart and future Heisman winner in Reggie Bush on their squad. Notre Dame was coming off two lackluster years and new coach in Charlie Weiss.

Corso, being typical Corso, picked against the Irish and put on a USC helmet. Herbstreet picked the Irish to win in a close one mainly because the "home field advantage." Herbstreet was talking about the sold out pep rally the night before.

Right out of the gate, Notre Dame proved they meant business. Coming out in the alternate green uniforms, something they haven't done in years. A big story was how Weis made the groundscrew not cut the grass so it was longer to slow down Bush and company.

The game had its moments for both teams. In the first half, Reggie Bush scampered in for a long run and Tom Zbikowski took back a punt for a touchdown. At halftime, the score was 14-10, USC showing ND fans that we actually had a shot.

Notre Dame continued to prove its good defense in the second half by continuing to pressure Leinart, although every time Bush got the ball it seemed like he gained 50 yards.

The most exciting part came in the fourth quarter. With time winding down, Junior Brady Quinn marched his team right down to the USC 7-yard line. Quinn scrambled around and ran in the end zone putting his team up with about 1:30 left to play in the game.

I could remember the following like it was yesterday. First down, incomplete pass by Leinart. Second-and-10 Leinart was sacked for a 9-yards loss forcing a third-and-19 deep in their own territory.

The stadium was so loud you had to scream to the person next to you and you still couldn't hear them. It was like a marching band blasting right into your cerebellum.

On third-and-19 Leinart forced a dump-off pass to Bush who gained 11 yards on the scramble. With fourth-and-nine and a minute left to play, this was the game. The Irish needed one more stop to shock the world.

Fourth-and-nine, Leinart drops back, gets forced out of the pocket and hurries a throw that goes right over Chindeum Ndwukes shoulder pads and into the arms of Dwayne Jarrett who runs all the way down to the Irish two-yard line.

The crowd was dead silent but with time ticking away, ND still had to stop them. Next play, Leinart rolled out and dove for the pile, but was forced out of bounds short of the goal line. The clock began to run down 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0!

The Irish won, the student section poured onto the field and I was myself running down the steps about to jump the rail when I heard the loudspeaker come on: "Fans get off the field the game is not over and Notre Dame will be penalized."

All the fans quickly got off the field and back int he stands. In 2005, there was no replay.

Second-and-goal with under 10 seconds to go, Leinart tried to sneak in but was stopped, but then forced forward by Reggie Bush (which is illegal I might add) into the end zone.

USC won the game and it was the biggest disappointment of my life. From racing down the steps to jump on the field, to walking out in disbelief.