BCS Standings
USC remained fifth despite dropping in the human polls. So the ugly performance against Arizona does not hurt . . . for now.
1. Texas 1 2839 0.9961 1 1522 0.9980 1 100 1.000 0.9981 1
2. Alabama 2 2696 0.9460 2 1439 0.9436 2 96 0.960 0.9499 2
3. Penn State 3 2650 0.9298 3 1414 0.9272 3 92 0.920 0.9257 3
4. Oklahoma 4 2370 0.8316 4 1265 0.8295 T-4 82 0.820 0.8270 4
5. Southern California 7 2255 0.7912 6 1228 0.8052 6 75 0.750 0.7822 5
6. Georgia 8 2124 0.7453 8 1137 0.7456 T-4 82 0.820 0.7703 7
7. Texas Tech 5 2286 0.8021 5 1246 0.8170 T-10 61 0.610 0.7431 8
8. Florida 6 2258 0.7923 7 1199 0.7862 T-10 61 0.610 0.7295 10
9. Oklahoma State 9 1871 0.6565 10 972 0.6374 T-7 73 0.730 0.6746 6
10. Utah 10 1802 0.6323 9 987 0.6472 T-7 73 0.730 0.6698 11
11. Boise State 11 1688 0.5923 11 894 0.5862 T-7 73 0.730 0.6362 12
12. Ohio State 12 1450 0.5088 13 752 0.4931 T-10 61 0.610 0.5373 9
13. Texas Christian 13 1443 0.5063 12 813 0.5331 13 48 0.480 0.5065 14
14. Missouri 14 1336 0.4688 14 740 0.4852 14 47 0.470 0.4747 15
15. Florida State 18 960 0.3368 16 546 0.3580 18 32 0.320 0.3383 25
16. Ball State 17 973 0.3414 19 445 0.2918 T-15 38 0.380 0.3377 20
17. Minnesota 20 778 0.2730 20 403 0.2643 T-15 38 0.380 0.3057 24
18. Tulsa 19 930 0.3263 18 524 0.3436 20 22 0.220 0.2966 19
19. LSU 16 1081 0.3793 15 573 0.3757 T-23 12 0.120 0.2917 13
20. Brigham Young 15 1121 0.3933 17 545 0.3574 T-23 12 0.120 0.2902 21
21. Michigan State 21 466 0.1635 21 292 0.1915 19 28 0.280 0.2117 NR
22. North Carolina 22 391 0.1372 22 232 0.1521 17 34 0.340 0.2098 NR
23. South Florida 23 287 0.1007 23 153 0.1003 0 0 0.000 0.0670 16
24. Oregon 24 220 0.0772 24 150 0.0984 26 2 0.020 0.0652 NR
25. Connecticut 30 39 0.0137 31 24 0.0157 T-21 16 0.160 0.0631 NR
We'll get no credit next weekend for beating up on the hapless Huskies, so we can expect a BCS slide.
Kurt Streeter commenting on UGLA's misery in today's LA Times said: Norm Chow, offensive coordinator, trying not to show frustration but you could see it in his eyes, on Craft: "Uh, it is easy to say there is some magical answer. . . . [But] he is who he is."
Norm has nothing to work with at UGLA. Pucker up Pete, you need Chow back on the reservation.
USC has really lost control of their destiny as far as the BCS CG. Even if they had beaten Oreg St. they would still be in jeapardy of falling below Tex, Ala, and PSU.
LSU is now toast and the UGA-UF loser is out. I think USC is better off if Texas just beats Texas Tech and then the Raiders are out. I don't think Texas will even fall much with a loss unless they got smoked. The problem is in these Top 10 Big 12 and SEC tilts, the winner can pass up USC who can't ever impress the voters.
I can't see USC gaining much past where they are unless some bizarre losses happen. Penn State losing to Iowa, Texas losing to A&M. I can see LSU knocking off Alabama.
Can Oregon State win out so USC can go to a different BCS as an at large? They would still keep the Pac 10 (tie) and BCS bid streak alive. The Sugar would be cool against Florida or Alabama.
No way is a Big 12 or SEC team going undefeated, and no way is Oregon St going 7-1 in conference. It's only October, boys, lots of football left to be played. I am concerned that Penn St may run the table, but they do still have dangerous games left with Iowa and Mich St. I predict yet another Rose Bowl, and pray that the committee will decide to pick a non Big-12 team if PSU is in the Orange Bowl. But, we still have challenges ahead against Cal and Notre Dame. What another fantastic year for a playoff with probably 8 teams capable of winning the whole thing. Too bad the NCAA and conferences are prostituting the game solely for money with no regard for the fans.
Interesting that on ESPN College GameDay Saturday morning their national poll showed that 45 percent of America thought Arizona would win the game. Now a 7 point SC win is "ugly."
The Donkey asks Scott if he's disappointed
Ted Miller (ESPN's Pac-10 guy) says that USC's win over Arizona is the Pac-10's LONE QUALITY ROAD WIN of the season. Prior to that, it was Arizona beating FUCLA at the Rose Bowl. The only places road teams are getting wins are in the state of Washington. Other than that? Zippo. So our close call against Zona was probably more of a quality win than anyone (including our own fans) will give us credit for. I mean, Arizona had not lost at home all year long and took (ranked) Cal behind the woodshed in the second half of last week's game. Had Arizona not fallen on it's face in New Mexico, they no doubt would have been ranked this weekend. I know the Pac-10 is having a down year, and is not nearly the conference it was the last several years, but this out of conference schedule that all of us play is just ridiculous. Take a look at the SEC non-conference schedule the next time you have 10 minutes to burn. You'll see that the teams Scott loves so much spend their entire Septembers feasting on the likes of Louisiana-Lafayette, Middle-Tennessee State, and Hawaii (when Florida whips them: "Oh, that's a dominant performance" but when OSU does the same thing: "Meh, not a quality opponent") Nearly every SEC team is an automatic 3-0 or 4-0 before the season starts because they play garbage. At least the Pac-10 has the cajones to play quality opponents and play on the road.
FIGHT ON!
USC is not going to get in the national championship game this year. Even if Texas and Penn State lose, a one loss Big 12 team will get in over SC. Alabama will lose a game but a one loss SEC team will get into the championship or they will cry. Florida should be below USC in the power rankings because they lost at home while SC lost at Oregon State. Georgia v. Florida is for the SEC title game and the winner of that will get into the NC game.
Oregon St will not go 7-1 in Pac 10 play as there are 9 games....
The Pac 10 already plays nine conference games, the same as every other conference 'Champion'
USC can still make the NCG. there are NO games outside the state of CA on our schedule. USC will be ready on the road at the farm and the Rose Bowl (home game)
Home games against Washington, Cal and ND...big wins over Cal, ND and UCLA to end the season could propel SC back into National Relevance.
Even with the ugly ROAD WIN SC has given up 20 points in 4 games and scored 160+.
It appears the West Coast Bias has returned...that or people are just tired of SC being in the picture week after week. If SC keeps winning, they cannot be ignored.
USC's improbable road to NC game:
1. USC "impressively" wins the rest of its games;
2. Oregon St. loses at home to Cal/Ore, or at UofA;
3. Texas loses at Texas Tech, and either at Kansas or Big 12 Championship;
4. Alabama loses at LSU and SEC Championship;
5. Penn St. loses at Iowa, or at home to Mich. St.;
6. Oklahoma loses at Oklahoma St;
7. Florida loses to Georgia;
8. Georgia loses at Auburn, or at home to Geo. Tech;
9. Texas Tech loses at Oklahoma, and perhaps Big 12 Championship (if Texas doesn't qualify).
10. Oklahoma St loses at Texas Tech.
If only # 1 occurs, USC is likely an at-large BCS Bowl invitee. If #1 & 2 occur, USC is guaranteed a Rose Bowl berth. USC can advance as the No. 2 seed, so not all of #3 - #10 has to happen. However, USC will not advance over a one-loss champ from those two conferences, unless USC posts a string of blow-outs, Ohio State and Virgina win out, ND beats everyone (except USC), and Oregon State loses only once more...and that still might not be enough.
I realize all of this is a LONG shot, but stranger things have happened....like last year.
Fight On!!