USC/Oklahoma finish on top

USC's Reggie Bush scored a touchdown for USC against UCLA

Southern California and Oklahoma have topped the Bowl Championship Series standings and will meet in the Orange Bowl on 4 January.

However, the US college football showpiece might not produce unanimous national champions.

Auburn, who finished 12-0 just like the Trojans and Sooners, finished third in the BCS points system that relies on the Associated Press and coaches polls, plus computer ratings.

So the Tigers will have to settle for a Sugar Bowl berth against Virginia Tech on 3 January.

USC finished with .9770 in the standings, and Oklahoma had .9681. Auburn, third much of the season, had .9331.

Oklahoma's strong computer rankings kept the Sooners ahead of the Tigers in the BCS standings, while USC held on to first place thanks to its strong showing in the polls.

USC was left out of the 2004 BCS title game, despite being No. 1 in both the AP and coaches polls at the end of the regular season.

Instead, Oklahoma played LSU in the Sugar Bowl, even though the Sooners lost the Big 12 title game.

When all the bowls were finished, LSU won the BCS title, and USC was No. 1 in the final AP poll.

The Trojans and Sooners went wire to wire in both polls.

It is the first time Nos. 1 and 2 stayed the same from the AP pre-season Top 25 through the final regular season poll, although Oklahoma shared second with Auburn for one week.