ORANGE BOWL Stoops and Carroll say the same things

Their teams -- Oklahoma and USC -- are mirror images of each other.
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (AP) -- It was difficult for Southern California's Pete Carroll and Oklahoma's Bob Stoops to keep from repeating each other when the two coaches met Thursday.
They offered little contrast -- and many of the same answers -- when they met for the first time since this year's Orange Bowl title game matchup was announced. The parallels won't stop Jan. 4 when the No. 2 Sooners (12-0) and top-ranked Trojans (12-0) -- nearly mirror images -- play for the Bowl Championship Series national title.
"We have a lot of similarities in our structures," Stoops said. "A great quarterback that can throw, a great running back that can run the ball as well. Defensively, we're similar in a lot of ways in our philosophies and how we play. It makes for a great matchup."
Heisman finalists
Both offenses are led by two Heisman Trophy finalists, one a quarterback and one a running back: Oklahoma's Jason White and Adrian Peterson, and USC's Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush.
Each has a defense that has allowed fewer than two touchdowns a game and is led by a coach that brought their school a national title in a short time.
"I don't think you could ever get representation like this in one game [again]," Carroll said. "It speaks to the universities and the success that we've had.
"There is a real familiarity," Carroll added.
Carroll will have the advantage of drawing on last year's national title winning experience -- something the Sooners haven't done since they last won a title in 2000.
Both schools looked to be on a collision course to meet each other last season for the national title, but the BCS standings -- and Oklahoma's Big 12 title game loss -- kept the Sooners and Trojans in different bowls.
"It doesn't seem that much different than right now other than the fact that we can see what the outcome will be if we win," said Carroll, whose Trojans won the Rose Bowl and a share of the 2003 title.
"Last year, it was a little more uncertain, but this time everything is clear."
Last year carries disappointment for Stoops, whose Sooners were ranked No. 1 for most of the season before losses in their final two games knocked them out of the title picture.
This year, the Sooners have gotten stronger as this season has played out.
The Sooners have outscored their last three opponents by a combined score of 107-6.