Pete Carroll Doesn't Hold Back On 'Bush Push' Ahead of USC

Twenty years later, Pete Carroll still remembers every chaotic second of the “Bush Push.”

As USC prepares to face Notre Dame this weekend, the former Trojans head coach revisited one of the most famous plays in college football history — a moment that turned a rivalry classic into legend.

Speaking this week at a Las Vegas Raiders media availability, Carroll dove deep into the dramatic 2005 finish that sealed USC’s 34–31 victory over the Fighting Irish in South Bend, a game that has lived in infamy ever since.

USC Trojans coach Pete Carroll Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Reggie Bush quarterback Matt Leinart Bush Push — Oct. 20, 2007; South Bend, IN, USA; USC Trojans head coach Pete Carroll and Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Charlie Weis shake hands after USC defeated Notre Dame 38-0 at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images | Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

“Oh, man, I remember a lot from that game,” Carroll said with a laugh.

“The place was berserk.... they brought Joe Montana back, and Rudy came back to speak to the to the crowd and a guy dressed up as Jesus showed up trying to bring home the power. The grass was about this high and they broke out the green jersey,' Carroll said.

That “everything” nearly ended USC’s 27-game winning streak and national championship hopes.

But what unfolded in the final minute would define Carroll’s dynasty and college football folklore alike.

Inside the Chaos of the Final Drive

Notre Dame led 31–28 with just over a minute left, and the stadium was ready to explode.

On fourth-and-nine from USC’s 26-yard line, quarterback Matt Leinart connected with Dwayne Jarrett for a stunning 61-yard completion — a play Carroll says almost didn’t happen.

“We were calling Y option, going to the tight end,” Carroll recalled.

“And as he started to walk away, Kiff in the box says, ‘Hey, remind him about the Blitz. If they Blitz, we got a check that we are going to go to.’ I mean, Matt actually was walking away and we called him back, and Sark reminded him," Carroll said. "So, we lined up and it's fourth down, game's over. They are ahead and they are going to win the game. And the place, I can remember so clearly, was as loud as the stadium could be, is what it felt like."

Jarrett was tackled inside the 10, setting up the defining moments.

Leinart was then hit near the goal line, fumbling out of bounds. Notre Dame fans stormed the field, thinking the game was over — only for officials to rule USC retained possession.

With just seconds left, the Trojans lined up from the one-yard line.

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The “Bush Push” and the Birth of a Legend

The play, forever known as the “Bush Push,” remains one of the most debated moments in college football.

"We tell him to sneak it. So, he points at the line, and he looks at the line of scrimmage, and he goes, ‘there's no way, they're all jammed up.’ And he looks back at us, and Reggie [Bush] yelled something at him, ‘Go for it. Go for it.’ And so, he sneaks it, and we get totally stuffed," Carroll said. "We make no yards at all. And as he started to slide, that's when Reggie was involved and he helped knock him in the end zone and kind of change the fortunes."

At the time, NCAA rules prohibited aiding a runner by pushing him forward — but no flag was thrown.

Leinart’s touchdown stood, the crowd had to be cleared off the field, and USC escaped South Bend with its 28th straight win.

"It was such an amazing finish because the whole stadium thought they won the game," Carroll said. "They rushed the field and all that, and then they had to clear the field, and then we came back and won the game after that. So, it was about as sweet a finish as you could have in a great situation to keep the streak alive and all that too.”

Bush finished the night with 160 rushing yards and three touchdowns, while Leinart threw for 301 yards and a score.

USC went on to play for the national title that year, while Notre Dame’s season unraveled in the weeks that followed.

History Repeats in 2025?

USC Trojans coach Pete Carroll Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Reggie Bush quarterback Jayden Maiava Lincoln Rile — Nov 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley greets quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) after scoring a touchdown against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Now, exactly two decades later, USC has a chance to deliver another crushing blow to Notre Dame’s postseason hopes.

The No. 20 Trojans (5–1) enter Week 7 with a shot to hand the No. 13 Fighting Irish their third loss before November — effectively pushing them out of the College Football Playoff race.

Quarterback Jayden Maiava and running back King Miller headline a balanced USC offense coming off a big conference win coming out of the bye week.

A win in South Bend would not only keep the Trojans alive in the Big Ten title chase but also serve as poetic symmetry to one of the sport’s most unforgettable finishes.

Twenty years later, the names have changed — but the stakes remain the same.

USC versus Notre Dame still carries the weight of history. And somewhere in that legacy, the “Bush Push” still echoes through the grass of South Bend.