Reggie Bush reacts to viral tweet, hilariously recalls epic highlight vs. Fresno State
Former USC running back Reggie Bush put together one of the best highlight reels in college football history during his career, making the Trojans must-watch television alongside quarterback Matt Leinart. However, perhaps no single game in his three-year tenure matched the 2005 non-conference meeting against Fresno State.
With the demand for Reggie Bush highlights always high, even more than a decade later, a viral tweet joked about the impressive performance by comparing it to a recent video released where a high-speed police chase results in several evasive maneuvers to help the suspect escape arrest.
After watching the car dodge police in a parking lot, on the road, and through the grass, even Bush himself could not help but see the comparison.
“I approve this message,” said Bush, replying to the post.
In a close 50-42 win over Fresno State on Nov. 19, 2005, Bush put together highlight run after highlight run with big gains, broken tackles and breakaway speed. By the end, he posted 513 totals yards with two touchdowns to help lead the charge of a back-and-forth win, setting a career-high with 294 rushing yards as well.
Bush also led the team that day in receiving yards, kick return yards and punt return yards, putting the team on his back to help secure the win in what would turn out to be his Heisman campaign. Although a national championship and his Heisman Trophy were vacated by an off-field scandal involving money, many have since called for the accomplishments to be reinstated.
Matt Leinart on Reggie Bush
Through the lens of college sports’ new NIL era, having that much history vacated still does not sit right with Matt Leinart. In an appearance on Matt Barkley’s ‘Making Bread’ podcast from Whistle Sports, he says the violations off the field should not have made an impact.
“What are they going to do? I mean, we won. What happened with Reggie had no effect on what was going on on the field all those years. Obviously it had a pretty dramatic effect on the program and teams that followed but we won fair and square. We beat the hell out of everybody,” said Leinart. “They can take us out of the record book but people still know that team is one of the best teams ever.”
In Leinart’s eyes, Bush was a college football legend. In turn, he believes Bush should first and foremost have his Heisman Trophy returned.
“Now it’s legal so it’s different. In that era, there was a lot of people doing a lot of things. I think the next step for Reggie is getting his Heisman back,” said Leinart. “People can say all they want but Reggie earned the Heisman because of his play. He was not only the best player in college football but he’s one of the best college football players of all time.”