According to various media outlets including USA Today and SportingNews, the BCS has stripped USC of its 2004 National Title. USC beat Oklahoma 55-19 in the 2005 Orange Bowl to secure the title however it is reported that their will be no champion recognized for the 2004 season. This marks the first time since polls were introduced that a football or basketball championship has been vacated.
The loss of the national title for USC comes after the made its final ruling in the Reggie Bush case and after the school’s appeal was denied last month, the BCS decided to go ahead and strip USC of the title.
“The BCS alerted us today that their presidents have voted to vacate USC’s 2005 BCS championship game victory,” USC athletic director Pat Haden said. “This was not an unexpected outcome. We will comply with all requirements mandated by the result of the BCS vote.”
BCS executive director Bill Hancock also released a statement.
“The BCS arrangement crowns a national champion, and the BCS games are showcase events for postseason football. One of the best ways of ensuring that they remain so is for us to foster full compliance with NCAA rules. Accordingly, in keeping with the NCAA’s recent action, USC’s appearances are being vacated.
“This action reflects the scope of the BCS arrangement and is consistent with the NCAA’s approach when it subsequently discovers infractions by institutions whose teams have played in NCAA championship events.”
In addition to the 2004 national championship, USC must also vacant their 2006 Rose Bowl appearance in which they lost the National Championship Game to Texas 41-38.
With this ruling it will be interesting to see what action the BCS and NCAA takes towards Ohio State after all of the allegations towards their former head coach Jim Tressel and football program.
Source: SportingNews, USA Today