The Fate of Southern Cal

The Fate of Southern Cal

Well, looks like USC has lost to another team they should have beaten.

But does this change anything about their chances?

Well….let’s talk about that. USC started out crushing San Jose State 56-3, then barely beat Ohio State 18-15, then loses to Washington 16-13. Seems like a downward spiral for the Trojans.

That’s what happens when you go with a freshman quarterback, and have injuries on the team. Granted the loss to Washington was not based on a freshman quarterback, since he was not playing, but what can’t be missed is that this is not the USC team of old, and apparently away games don’t hold too well for them.

And with games vs. California on the horizon, and a Notre Dame team that now thinks they might be able to take shots at the wounded lion, this could be a problem for USC’s hopes to get to the BCS. So, is it over for a UCS team to make it to the National Championships?

Hard to say.

For us to buy into USC still in the hunt, we first have to remember where they are. They are currently ranked #12 in one poll, and #10 in another. This means they need some help from other teams to fall out, so they can climb back in. As it stands right now, the biggest game left on USC’s schedule is against California, which is coming fast.

So your question would then be, IF USC can hold off Cal, and finish the season, who then are the most likely teams to fall out the top 10, and thus allow USC to slip back in the top 10 and further up the ladder.

There are at this moment FOUR SEC teams ahead of USC, and you just know that won’t last. They have to play each other, and between Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and LSU, there will be “L”s handed out. And the fact that they have a conference championship means they will settle it out once and for all, leaving USC able to slip a few spots up the ladder.

You have to wonder if Miami is for real, being now ranked #9 in one poll. I just can’t buy into that now, especially with two very tough games ahead of them before sinking into the ACC schedule. As much as I would like to think Miami can hang in there, I can’t see it.

The same would hold true for Virginia Tech, as the ACC has brutally beaten each other last year, and I don’t see how that would change this year. I can’t see anybody from the ACC going undefeated, so even one loss will drop them to the point where USC could jump them.

Remember, this is based on USC running the tables, and their chances of getting back at a BCS Championship.

From the Big 12 you have a wounded Oklahoma and #2 Texas. We KNOW they have to play, and it looks like the favorites will be Texas. If so, then Oklahoma, with two losses, is out of any BCS Title game…but if Texas LOSES, what then?

Is Penn State beatable? As good as I think they are, I still don’t think they can run the tables in the Big 10. One loss, maybe two, but I just can’t see them going undefeated. But one loss might not kill their shots at the BCS if other things happen.

And what of Boise State? Their win over Fresno State shows that they are touchable, but with the weak conference they are in, it would be hard to see them losing. Yet when the BCS rankings come out, I wonder if Boise State will be penalized for such a soft schedule. I said in another blog about Boise State, scheduling UC Davis and Miami Ohio isn’t the way to go if you REALLY want to compete for a National Championship, it might cost them when the first BCS polls come out later this season.

So, having said all this, does USC have a legit shot? Yeah, because the season is still young. I mean, if USC can lose…so can anybody else, right. I mean, Florida barely won their game, BYU lost, Utah lost, so we seem to have a pretty competitive season so far…anything is possible.

So Southern Cal is still in the mix….for now.