The Longhorns were back on primetime TV last week when ESPN launched it’s ‘Throwback Thursday College Football Classics’ special and featured the 2006 BCS National Championship game between Texas and USC as its series debut. Being one of the greatest college football games in history, loads of fans tuned in to re-watch the Longhorns and Trojans epic battle for the crystal football trophy.

Prior to the shocking outcome, many pundits believed the 2005 USC squad was the best to ever play college football. Vince Young and the Longhorns put the ‘best team ever’ notion to rest when Texas came back from a 12-point, fourth-quarter deficit to drop USC in a thrilling 41-38 upset over the defending national champions. Led by 2004 Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart, the Trojans were just as stunned as the majority of the college football world when Texas prevailed to win the 2006 BCS title game.

“It’s one of those things where I can’t escape it,” Leinart said of the Rose Bowl game against Texas. “It haunts me.”

In addition to the outcome continuing to haunt the decorated USC QB, the same could be said for his post-game interview with Holly Rowe, when Leinart proclaimed his team still was the best on the field after losing to Texas.

“I think we are the better football team, they just made the plays to win.”

The brash statement has followed Leinart ever since.

In an exclusive interview with our 247Sports partner,USCFootball.com, Leinart explained what was going through his mind when he made the now infamous post game comments.

“First of all, you lose after you’re up 12 with five minutes left,” Leinart said of his heart-breaking loss to Texas in the 2006 BCS National Championship game. “I think when you’re on the field and you’re so upset, then you get a microphone in your face, and just the emotions were there, and I was pissed off. I thought we should have won that game.

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“But yeah, I was upset. Part of the reason why I came back for my senior year was being on a great team, wanting to be in college and having the chance to win three titles in a row, which had never been done. To be that close, and just lose it the way we did, that was a tough pill to swallow, and it still is when I think about it.”

While the loss still stings, the legendary USC quarterback has since recognized the team most-deserving to win the 2006 Rose Bowl was the team that actually took home the championship trophy.

“Years passed, and you realize (Texas) deserved (to win the BCS Championship). It was a great football game,” he said. “I’ve said it a million times, Vince Young and Texas deserved to win. They were a great team, but he was just a one-man wrecking crew.”

Even though Leinart appreciates how great the 2006 Rose Bowl game truly was, the QB still struggles to watch it in its entirety.

“I won’t watch most of the fourth quarter, obviously,” Leinart told USCFootball.com. “I don’t think very many USC fans do.”

Check out The Peristyle Podcast to hear all of Leinart’s comments on the 2006 BCS Championship game.