MIAMI – Matt Leinart and his Southern California teammates played to perfection, leaving no doubt about this national championship. Even better, they don’t have to share it.

The Heisman Trophy winner threw a record five touchdown passes and USC overwhelmed Oklahoma 55-19 last night in the Orange Bowlassuring the Trojans will end the season just as they started: no. 1.

The much-anticipated battle of unbeatens, no. 1 vs. no. 2, turned into a coronation for USC, which had to settle for a share of the national championship last year after being left out of the Bowl Championship Series title game.

Unbeaten Auburn, the odd team out of the BCS title game this season, will have to settle for second. The Tigers certainly couldn’t have done any worse against the mighty USC.

The Tigers (13-0) finished their perfect season with a 16-13 win over Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl on Monday night. USC surely will become the first team to repeat as AP national champions since Nebraska in 1994-95 and join Florida State in 1999 as the only teams to go wire-to-wire – from preseason to post bowls – as no. 1.

The final media poll was to be released early this morning.

The Trojans wrapped up their 2003 national title three days before the BCS championship game by beating Michigan 28-14 in the Rose Bowl. They won’t have to wait for their trophy this season.

With the aide of four Oklahoma turnovers, the Trojans (13-0) ambushed the Sooners (12-1) with 38 points in the final 20 minutes of the first half.

The first meeting of Heisman winners couldn’t have been more one-sided. Leinart set an Orange Bowl record with his five scoring tosses and Jason White spent another BCS title game running for his life.

Oklahoma’s Heisman winner finished 24-of-36 for 244 yards with three interceptions and two touchdowns.

Leinart was 18-of-35 for 342 yards and he had the USC band playing “Fight On” all night. The laidback Californian who replaced Carson Palmer became the first Heisman winner to win a national title since Michigan’s Charles Woodson in 1997.

Leinhart tossed four scores in the first half as the Trojans turned an early 7-0 deficit into a 38-10 halftime lead.

When the demolition had ended, the Trojans bounced and danced their way to the locker room, grooving in the end zone as Outkast’s “Hey Yeah” blared through Pro Player Stadium. Meanwhile, the Sooners trudged off having already allowed more points in a bowl game than any team in school history.

The Trojans reached a season high for points and turned the game into a USC highlight reel, with Leinart making pinpoint passes and his receivers making spectacular catches.

Steve Smith caught an Orange Bowl record three touchdowns, LenDale White ran for 118 yards and two scores, and the USC’s defense smothered Oklahoma’s freshman sensation Adrian Peterson. The Heisman runner-up managed just 82 yards on 25 carries.

Senior Mark Bradley made a freshman mistake that set off one of those USC runs that have done in so many opponents during the Trojans’ 22-game winning streak.

The Sooners’ most versatile player tried to scoop up a punt that had bounced inside the Oklahoma 5. Collin Ashton grabbed on to Bradley, the ball squirted away and USC recovered at the 6. On the next play, LenDale White reached the ball over the goal line to give the Trojans a 14-7 lead late in the first quarter.

USC made it 21 straight points with the help of Oklahoma’s second turnover. Under pressure, White heaved a deep ball into quadruple-coverage and Jason Leach came up with USC’s 20th interception of the season.

Dwayne Jarrett then ran straight down the sideline and hauled in a perfect throw from Leinart for a 54-yard score.

The USC deluge continued. White was upended while throwing and was picked off by Eric Wright deep in Sooners territory.

This time, Reggie Bush ripped off a 33-yard run to start the Trojans on their way and Leinart again picked on a secondary that looked like Oklahoma’s soft spot much of the season.

Leinart found Steve Smith alone in the end zone from 5 yards out, to cap a four-touchdown barrage.

Leinart again went deep to Smith, who hauled in a 33-yarder while hitting the ground to make it 35-10.

Oklahoma’s season-high fourth turnover led to Ryan Killeen’s 44-yard field goal just before halftime.