"Everybody knows who the people's champion is - and that's the USC Trojans, baby," defensive end Omar Nazel said.
The AP's No. 1 team has never dropped in the rankings after winning its bowl, and it doesn't look as if it will happen this time, either.
"I think we just won the national championship," jubilant coach Pete Carroll said. "I think it's clear that we did everything we needed to."
While the Trojans are primed to win their first title in 25 years, they would have to share it. Voters for the USA Today/ESPN coaches' poll are obligated to crown the winner of the BCS championship game between No. 2 LSU and No. 3 Oklahoma.
"He won a national championship, I'm sure of that," Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said, referring to Carroll.
USC had 42 of the 65 first-place votes in the most recent AP poll and lobbied at least one more voter to its side. Tony Barnhart, of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, said he plans to move the Trojans to No. 1 in place of LSU in the final poll.
"Given everything that has happened this year, split polls are the correct outcome," Barnhart said.
The Trojans were left out of the Bowl Championship Series title game because of a weaker schedule, but they felt right at home in front of a sellout crowd of 93,849.
Leinart shredded the nation's sixth-ranked pass defense for 327 yards, and the Trojans (12-1) had a season-high nine sacks and even blocked a field goal by Michigan (10-3).
The signature play came late in the third quarter when USC's Mike Williams took a reverse handoff from Hershel Dennis and flicked an easy pass to Leinart, who jogged in for a 15-yard score that made it 28-7.
"All I know is that we're the No. 1 team in the human poll and we won our bowl game, so we're the No. 1 team in the country," Williams said. "That's all I need to know. The trophy says 'champions' on it. BCS, Oklahoma, LSU, whatever, that has nothing to do with us."
