In a stunning comeback led by junior quarterback Vince Young, the Texas Longhorns snapped the 34-game winning streak of the USC Trojans and seized the title of National Champions!

PASADENA, Calif. -- Thirty six years in waiting. Texas won tonight's Rose Bowl and the national championship in a spectacular 41-38 comeback win over USC.

Quarterback Vince Young was the difference-maker, scoring the winning touchdown in the dying seconds en route to a 200-yard rushing performance. With nineteen seconds on the clock, Young made a 9-yard dash count and added the two-play for good measure to seal the win.

Earlier, the Trojans gained some breathing room with 6:42 left in the game when quarterback Matt Leinart hooked up with Dwayne Jarrett on a 22-yard play for a 38-26 lead, but the Longhorns responded immediately with a 17-yard rushing touchdown from Vince Young with 4:03 remaining.

Just look at the stats put up by Vince Young, whose effort tonight makes you question why the Heisman Trophy went to USC running back Reggie Bush (with his fellow Trojan, QB Matt Leinart) rather than the Longhorn quarterback, who finished third in the balloting.

Texas Passing

Young

C/ATT -- 30/40

YDS -- 267

TD -- 0

INT -- 0

Texas Rushing
Young
CAR -- 20
YDS -- 200
TD -- 3
LG -- 45

I'm not surprised by the outcome, having seen Vince Young do something like this once before, in 2001, to a team that everyone said was better than his. His performance was amazing.

One of the most incredible high school football games of all-time was played last Friday at the Houston Astrodome. Houston Madison with their All-American quarterback Vince Young met Galena Park North Shore, the No. 1 5A team in Texas and the No. 5 team in the country by USA TODAY.

North Shore scored 58 points and had 605 yards of total offense, but lost to Young and his Madison team by an amazing 61-58 score. Madison managed "only" 530 yards of total offense. Both teams came into the 5A quarterfinals with perfect 12-0 records.

Young, as expected, was brilliant, and he combined with Courtney Lewis (5-10, 180, 4.4) to overwhelm the overmatched Mustangs defense. The Madison quarterback completed 13 of 20 passes for 177 yards and three touchdowns and added another 192 yards rushing with three more scores. Lewis scored five touchdowns and also rushed for 129 yards."

That night I left the Astrodome in tears, having watched young men for whom I cared deeply lose a hard-fought game. Tonight my tears are tears of joy at seeing Vince Young lead a team to victory.

Hook 'Em, Horns!

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