As the Trojans completed another perfect regular season, it seemed a foregone conclusion Bush would become the fifth USC tailback to win the Heisman, following Mike Garrett, Simpson, Charles White and Marcus Allen.

The 200-pounder from Spring Valley, Calif., just outside of San Diego, ran for 1,658 yards this season, a dizzying average of 8.9 yards per carry, while leading the nation in all-purpose yards with 217.9 per game.

USC now has produced seven Heisman winners, matching the record held by Notre Dame, and an unprecedented three in four years, starting with quarterback Carson Palmer in 2002.

Now Bush will have to make the kind of decision Leinart did last season: Stay in school or go.

Leinart surprised many by returning to USC for his senior year when he could have entered the NFL draft and become an instant millionaire.

“Matt, what more can I say?” Bush said. “Your decision to come back has changed my life.”

By staying, Leinart made a run at joining Ohio State’s Archie Griffin as the only other two-time Heisman winner, and helped USC extend its winning streak to 34 straight games, heading into the Rose Bowl.

Leinart said he voted for Bush first, Young second and left his third-place vote blank.

“I knew I was going to get third,” Leinart said. “I wanted to go on stage as a past winner because I knew I wasn’t going to win. The right guy won.”

Heisman Trophy winners by school 7: Notre Dame, Ohio State, Southern California 5: Oklahoma 3: Army, Florida, Michigan, Nebraska 2: Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Navy, Texas, Wisconsin, Yale 1: Alabama, Boston College, BYU, Chicago, Colorado, Houston, Iowa, LSU, Minnesota, Oklahoma State, Oregon State, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Princeton, SMU, South Carolina, Stanford, Syracuse, Texas A&M, TCU, UCLA

Bush has said he’ll decide about the NFL after the BCS title game.

Young, also a junior, appears to have a bright NFL future, though he isn’t quite the can’t-miss prospect Bush and Leinart have been labeled.

Young said he intends to stay at Texas for another year — and perhaps another shot at the Heisman.

“Right now, I feel like I let my guys down,” Young said. “Right now, I feel like I let my family down.”

Bush’s career has been in a steady ascent since he arrived at USC. He rushed for 537 yards as a freshman and 908 as a sophomore, when he finished fifth in the Heisman voting.

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Heading into the 2005 season, Bush was determined to show he was more than just a scatback with fancy moves. He worked out with San Diego Chargers star LaDainian Tomlinson, harder than he’s ever worked before.

He returned to school bigger and stronger and, on a team filled with All-Americans, became the No. 1 attraction in the nation.