Jan. 1, 2004
- Michigan Football
- Michigan Football
No. 1 Southern Cal 28,
No. 4 Michigan 14
The Trojans dominated the Wolverines throughout the game, which gave Southern Cal a share of the national championship. Trojan quarterback Matt Leinart shredded the Michigan secondary for 327 yards and three touchdowns – and caught a fourth – while Wolverines signal-caller John Navarre was sacked nine times. Southern Cal receiver Keary Colbert had 149 yards and two touchdowns in the win. Michigan running back Chris Perry and receiver Braylon Edwards combined for 192 yards of total offense, but it wasn’t enough. This game was never close, as Southern Cal jumped out to a 21-0 lead.
Jan. 1, 2005
No. 6 Texas 38,
No. 13 Michigan 37
In one of the most exciting college football games of recent memory, the Longhorns outlasted the Wolverines on Texas kicker Dusty Mangum’s 37-yard field goal as time expired. Despite Michigan receiver Braylon Edwards’s three touchdowns and freshman quarterback Chad Henne’s Rose Bowl record-tying four scoring tosses, the Longhorns stormed back on the legs of quarterback Vince Young. The sophomore picked up 192 yards and four touchdowns on the ground and passed for 180 yards and another score in accounting for each one of Texas’s touchdowns. The score was a back and forth tug-of-war, and never got out of hand.