SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Reggie Bush couldn’t control his emotions. Matt Leinart had a hard time, too.

Both had Heisman moments in a highly touted matchup between top-ranked USC and No. 9 Notre Dame, and were worn emotionally by what they had done.

Bush, who has a career full of highlight reel plays, had a couple more against the Irish, including breaking off touchdown runs of 36 and 45 yards as Notre Dame defenders chased helplessly after him.

Leinart was shaky at times but threw for 301 yards. He also came up with a big play when he had to, scoring on a quarterback sneak from a yard out with 3 seconds left to give the Trojans a 34-31 victory and extend their winning streak to 28 games.

“I couldn’t hold it back. I just started crying,” Bush said. “These are the type of games we live for, we die for, we love to be in. They might be a little nerve-racking for the fans, but it’s what we live for.

“For the first time in my career here, I wasn’t sure. I regret that so much because I know the type of teammates we have. They never give up. They keep fighting.”

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Bush put up a fight himself, keeping the Trojans in the game by repeatedly breaking off big plays. His final 9-yard run put USC (6-0) ahead 28-24 with 5:09 left. He finished with 160 yards on 15 carries, his fifth straight game of at least 100 yards, the first USC back to do that since Ricky Ervins in 1989.

But his most valuable play may have been one where he didn’t touch the ball. From a yard out, instead of spiking the ball or handing off to Bush, Leinart ran a quarterback sneak with the game on the line and Bush helped push him in for the game-winning score.

Bush said Leinart asked him before running the play whether he should spike the ball so they could call another play or run the sneak. Bush told Leinart to do what he thought was best.

“I have faith in him and his play-making ability. Just the fact I know Matt and I know what kind of player he is,” Bush said. “He’s not going to give up. He’s not always going to win the game with his arm.”

Tom Strattman / AP Reggie Bush celebrates in the end zone after a 36-yard touchdown during the first quarter.

Leinart said he felt someone push him in, but he didn’t know who it was until Bush talked to him afterward.

“He’s like, ’Your welcome man. I pushed your back,” Leinart said. “I was like, ’Thanks dude.”’

Leinart almost didn’t get the chance to thank Bush. On the previous play, Leinart tried to run it in from 2 yards out and had the ball jarred loose at the 1. The final 7 seconds ticked off and Irish students swarmed the field celebrating what they thought was the school’s first win against a top-ranked school in 12 years.

Leinart heard an official blow the play dead, but for a second he thought maybe the Trojans had lost.

“I wasn’t really worried,” Leinart said. “Obviously they started storming the field. Then you’re kind of like, ’Maybe their going to make his call and give it to Notre Dame.’ But it worked out in our favor.”

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Leinart still wasn’t convinced the game was over, though, not with 3 seconds left. He sat apprehensively on the bench, worried about what would happen next.

“I was really in shock,” he said. “I’m thinking I’m not going to celebrate until the game is over because there was still 3 seconds and who knows what could happen? Funnier things have happened. I was really in shock, I was. Everyone was coming over to me and I was looking at the clock waiting for it to go to zero so I could smile.”