I, too, bought into the notion for most of the season that the Ohio State Buckeyes were the best college football team in the country, based largely on their ability to go into Austin and beat defending national champion Texas early in the season.
In hindsight, the Longhorns weren't that good, though.
And neither were the Buckeyes.
The first pang of OSU's falability came while watching USC's defense dominated Michigan's offense for four quarters of the Rose Bowl game on Jan. 1.
Remember . . . that was the same offense that rung up 39 points on the Buckeyes' idefense n the Big Ten showdown that earned OSU the spot in the BCS title game.
And the Florida Gators chewed the Buckeyes up like so much chum Monday night.
So, were the Gators the best team in the country?
Well, they are the national champions but USC could have beaten them.
But the Trojans can't lay any claims to being the 'best team" because of those inept performances in losses to Oregon State and UCLA (although it wasn't the defense's fault against the Bruins).
Assuming Pete Carroll is still USC's coach next fall, look for the Trojans to be an overwhelming choice as the presason No. 1.
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