National Championship

The Fan Teaser: Week 115 Solution

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What’s happening in this college football image from yesteryear?

Back in 2005, before a 12-team College Football Playoff created so much consternation, there was the Bowl Championship Series. It too had flaws but it produced one whale of championship showdown in the 2006 Rose Bowl Game, pitting the top-ranked – and defending National Champion – University of Southern California Trojans against the second-ranked University of Texas Longhorns.

Texas trailed 38-26 with 6:42 remaining in the game when All-American quarterback Vince Young (along with a stout defense) rallied the Longhorns.

Vince Young
Texas Longhorns quarterback, Vince Young, scampers past a Southern California defender and into the endzone for the winning score of Texas’ 41-38 victory in the 2006 Rose Bowl Game in Pasadena, CA. This Rose Bowl, played January 4, 2006, served as the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game. (Photo by Mark J. Rebilas/US Presswire)

The image from this week’s Fan Teaser is that of Young scrambling in from eight yards out on a fourth and goal with under 30 seconds left in the game. The ensuing 2-point conversion (another Young run) gave the Longhorns a 41-38 lead and, ultimately, victory.

Young, who was named the game’s Offensive MVP, finished with 467 yards total offense (200 rushing on 19 carries and 267 passing on 30 completions) and three touchdowns.

Young went on to become the third overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans.

Also of note – and not impacting the outcome – this game was later vacated (as was the entire seeason) by USC due improper recruiting violations regarding star running back and Heisman Trophy winner, Reggie Bush.

Vince Young and some fellow Longhorns reflect on their National Championship Rose Bowl victory over USC.

Just to review, The Fan Teaser was the creation of former Ann Arbor News Sports Editor Geoff Larcom. Longtime friend and fellow Ann Arbor News alum, Pat Schutte, took it to heights previously unknown. We aim to keep it alive here at The Sports Fan Project. The cropped photo and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.