MIAMI — Southern California stands alone. No. 1 at the beginning. No. 1 at the end. A non-stop blitz from August to January, with everyone gunning for the Trojans, but no one stopping them.

And no one even touching them, on a stunning Tuesday night in the Orange Bowl, at the moment of truth between two famed powerhouses.

55-19. Who could see it coming? Or how completely and mercilessly the stars from the freeways of Los Angeles would outshine the stars from the plains of Oklahoma?

We wanted to leave no doubt," said coach Pete Carroll, who may be building an empire at USC.

"I think they're great," said Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops. "I don't know if that's a surprise to anybody."

By the time Matt Leinart had thrown an Orange Bowl record five touchdown passes, and Steve Smith had caught three of them and piled up 113 yards of receiving, and Dwayne Jarrett had 115 more, and LenDale White and Reggie Bush had combined to rush for 193 yards, and Oklahoma had self-destructed on five turnovers, the message was clear.

This could well be the dawn of a Trojans' dynasty.

They put a unanimous national championship with last year's Associated Press title. The Trojans have won 22 straight games. They join Florida State (1999) as the only team to go wire to wire as No. 1 in the AP poll.

They scored the most points and won by the largest margin in an Orange Bowl in 52 years, back to Alabama's 61-6 smashing of Syracuse in 1953. And they did it starting 16 players who have eligibility remaining.

Including all the incendiary devices. Smith, Bush, Jarrett, White, who rushed for 118 yards and two touchdowns Tuesday, a bad ankle healed just in time.

And Leinart, if he does not choose early entry into the NFL. Leinart, who succeeded a Heisman winner last season, and has promptly gone 25-1. Who accepted the MVP trophy Tuesday night as the crowd chanted "One more year!"

"I don't see why we can't do this again next year," he said. "That's enough motivation for me to come back. Obviously it's going to be a hard decision."