Score by Quarters
USC
3
0
16
13
32
Michigan
0
3
0
15
18
For two quarters of the 2007 Rose Bowl Game, No. 3-ranked Michigan gave No. 5-ranked USC a taste of Big Ten football. The Wolverines held the Trojans to 19 yards on 15 carries and a 3-3 tie.
However, for the next two quarters, USC gave Michigan a bitter taste of the West Coast.
“We’re talking on the headsets,” USC offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin said of his conversation with quarterbacks coach Steve Sarkisian. “We said, ‘We’re not running the ball another play.’”
On the next 30 plays, the Trojans threw 28 passes and used two quarterback sneaks for first downs. Of those 28 passes, quarterback John David Booty connected with his stellar receiving corps for a Rose Bowl Game record-tying four touchdowns and a runaway victory, 32-18, in front of 93,852.
“It was so awesome,” said Booty, who watched from the sidelines as Matt Leinart and his Trojans fell to Texas in 2006’s instantly classic national championship game. “Something I dreamed about was to play in a big-time bowl game, the Rose Bowl probably being one of, if not the, biggest. To be part of that game and for us to play like we did and come out with that victory made the whole waiting worthwhile.”
Booty threw for 391 yards, and the Trojans scored on five consecutive offensive possessions in the second half. Included in those scores were two receiving touchdowns by receiver Dwayne Jarrett. Named Offensive Player of the Game, Jarrett had a career-high 205 yards receiving on 11 catches. His numbers were helped by dynamic scores of 22 and 62 yards. He also became USC’s all-time leading receiver (216 catches).
What made Jarrett’s performance even more memorable is that he routinely beat Michigan All-American cornerback Leon Hall, most notably on the 62-yard score from Booty.
“Dwayne had an absolute memorable night,” USC coach Pete Carroll said.
However, the Trojan defense deserved just as much credit as Booty, Jarrett and receiving compatriot Steve Smith, who had seven catches for 108 yards and a touchdown.
Helped by six quarterback sacks on Michigan quarterback Chad Henne (26 of 41 for 309 yards, two touchdowns, one interception), the USC defense held the Wolverine running game, which averaged 189 yards per game on the season, to 12 net yards. It also held Michigan back Mike Hart, who ran for more than 1,500 in the regular season, to just 47.
USC defensive end Brian Cushing led the charge. His four tackles for losses, two-and-a-half sacks and forced fumble earned him Defensive Player of the Game honors.
The Trojan defense also kickstarted the offensive onslaught. With the score tied 3-3 early in the second half, Lawrence Jackson picked off a Henne pass. Booty then fired four consecutive completions, the last of which was a 2-yard touchdown pass to Chris McFoy for the 10-3 lead.
On the next possession, Booty and the Trojans went 70 yards, capped by the 22-yard Booty-Jarrett touchdown pass. Another field goal closed out a 16-point third quarter, which was all USC needed to win the Rose Bowl Game.
Attendance
93,852
Weather
75 degrees, sunny
Scoring
First Quarter
USC – Danelo, 26-yard field goal
Second Quarter
Mich – Rivas, 41-yard field goal
Third Quarter
USC – McFoy, 2-yard pass from Booty (Danelo kick good)
USC – Jarrett, 22-yard pass from Booty (Danelo kick failed)
USC – Danelo, 26-yard field goal
Fourth Quarter
Mich – Arrington, 11-yard pass from Henne (Hart ran for the 2-point conversion)
USC – Jarrett, 62-yard pass from Booty (Danelo kick failed)
USC – Smith, 7-yard pass from Booty (Danelo kick good)
Mich – Breaston, 41-yard pass from Henne
Coaches
USC: Pete Carroll
Michigan: Lloyd Carr
Fun Fact
Many times the participants in the Rose Bowl Game have been the winners of the respective UCLA-USC rivalry and Michigan-Ohio State rivalry games, although there have been instances where the loser of the rivalry game still won the conference championship. In the 2007 Rose Bowl Game, the participants both were the losers of those games, and Michigan was an at-large BCS participant with a second-place Big Ten finish.
Individual Stats
Rushing
USC: Gable 13-25; Bradford 4-19; Washington 2-8; Booty 4-(-4)
Mich: Hart 17-47; 2-3; Manningham 1-2; Henne 7-(-40)
Passing
USC: Booty 27-45-391
Mich: Henne 26-41-309
Receiving
USC: Jarrett 11-205; Smith 7-108; Davis 3-39; McFoy 2-24; Brittingham 1-14; Bardford 1-4; Gable 2-(-3)
Mich: Breaston 7-115; Manningham 6-79; Ecker 6-78; Arrington 4-34; Butler 1-5; Hart 2-(-2)
Punting
USC: Woidneck 4-141
Mich: Mesko 6-251