Southern Cal Argument Put to Rest.

[The Ancient Enemy]

I see many people here, on other boards, on TV, and on the moon questioning Pete Carroll and the USC Trojans. They are saying things like "USC isn't that good" and "USC can be beaten" and "USC doesn't deserve to be ranked #1". Let's take a look at junior-high arguments, shall we?

"USC isn't that good."

- Okay. Let me explain this to all the bozos in the world. There are players on the USC bench that could win most conferences in this country. USC's second team could represent the Big East. And instead of losing to Utah by 80, they'd win by 3. I know this is a very difficult concept for most of you to grasp, but good teams really do win close games. Great coaches make adjustments and they win games. You are questioning a coach and his staff who just won back to back national titles. That program lost a lot when those assistant coaches went to other places, but that has not caught up with them yet. And it won't, either, until next season at least.

"USC can be beaten."

- Based on what evidence? They were down to Oregon and beat them by 32 points! Arizona State is the best 3-2 team any of you ever saw in your life. They lost that LSU game on a very controversial call in the endzone. That Keller kid is probably the best quarterback in the country right now. Not to mention the fact that Derek Hagans is a top 10 draft pick. ASU has a very lethal passing attack, and won't lose another game. They should have went 11-1. Let's also not forget that Bush and White ran for 400 yards against ASU. Oh, and USC won the game. They didn't LOSE, they won! Good teams win close games. You can't blow everybody out every week. Close calls build character, and USC is the best team in the country.

"USC doesn't deserve to be ranked #1"

- Says who? Who are you to say that a team doesn't deserve the chance to defend their title until they get knocked off? I don't care if Arkansas State won the national title and ended up 7-6 overall last year. They deserve to be ranked #1 until they lose a game. Then it's their own fault.

So who are the contenders? Texas seems to be the #1 choice. I see a Texas team who has a QB that is playing way better than last year, and I see an offense that is 5 games into the season and still screwing up techniques and fundamentals. That will cost Texas down the road. Yes, Texas beat Ohio State. Or did OSU beat themselves? They made a hell of a lot of mistakes...

You are only as good as your competition. Breezing through 10 weeks of the regular season and then playing USC is going to get Texas a big slash in the loss column. Talk as much sh*t as you want on the Pac-10, but that team still needs to play Cal, UCLA, and Notre Dame. Name me one team Texas has to play that is any good. That's not their fault that the Big 12 sucks this year, but those are the breaks.

If UT escapes this week and goes undefeated, and they play USC, lay your dollars on TAE Rule#1: When a game is up in the air, go with superior coaching.

Carroll and Brown's track records speak for themselves.

[deliverance]

USC better get past Notre Dame. That game is up in the air. Charlie Weis is most definitely the better of the two coaches. Are you saying you'd bet on Notre Dame. Especially, since it's at Notre Dame?????

[The Ancient Enemy]

It's a tough call. Weis and his staff are very good, mainly because of Weis and Cutcliffe. They have 2 weeks to prepare for that team. Sooner or later USC's losses of assisitant coaches is going to catch up with them. As of right this second, I don't know who I'd take. But I'm leaning towards USC.

[fleaflicker]

I'd say Notre Dame has a good enough offense to lay 30 on them in the first half if USC comes out flat, and to add to their total in the second half to keep ahead of USC on the scoreboard. Their defense isn't good, but if their offense can get another TD or two in the second half, they might actually be able to stop USC and pull off the upset. Notre Dame is 9-2 in recent years coming off the bye week, and a few times, they have managed to upset the number 1 team (at the time) coming off the bye. ND has a good enough team to pull it off, and right now, so do Texas and Virginia Tech. USC plays a patsy schedule, and that's the only reason they can get away with an 18 point deficit at halftime.

[The Ancient Enemy]

Once again, who does Texas play? They played Ohio State.

USC played a highly touted ASU squad and won.
They still have a highly ranked Cal team.
They still have a highly touted Notre Dame team.
They still have to played a UCLA team ranked in the top 20!

Come on, Fleaflicker.

[fleaflicker]

The Pac 10 is overrated, TAE. Do you think ASU, Cal, and UCLA would do so well in the SEC, ACC, or Big 10? Admittedly, USC would probably do well, but I think that if they played as they had the past two weeks against a top tier SEC or ACC team, they would have been exposed.

Cal doesn't have a good QB situation, and they're playing a third stringer. Yeah, they're 5-0, but they haven't really played anybody. How can a team like that be in the top 15? They're about to get blown up by UCLA. UCLA may be the only Pac 10 team (outside of USC) that deserves the hype they're getting. Arizona State did have LSU on the ropes a bit, but that's because of their offense. Their defense giving up 35 points does not make them look really good, not does it look good when they lose a game (twice) by comebacks from the other team. But more than anything else, it's just a gut feeling perhaps, but teams that give up that much on defense aren't great teams. UCLA is the only team in the Pac 10 capable of giving USC a good fight. That doesn't speak well of the conference. It doesn't speak well of the conference, either, when USC comes back from 18 down and hangs 35 on ASU in one HALF of football. Notre Dame is highly touted, but unfortunately, they have some serious questions on defense. Fortunately for them, they have just enough offense that they may be able to keep with USC in the second half and hang on for a win in a shootout.

But TAE, here's the question that made me take USC from number 1: Can USC come back from a 21-3 half time deficit against Texas? Can USC come back from that deficit against Virginia Tech? Can they do it against Georgia or Alabama? I decided that they probably couldn't, and because of that, I had to drop them in the rankings. Truly good teams don't get themselves in such a sticky mess in the first place.

[The Ancient Enemy]

Cal is 5th in the nation in rushing.

Can Texas come back against USC if down 21-3?

Texas doesn't play in the SEC or ACC either, so who can say that Cal sucks because they play in the Pac-10? This current season, the Pac-10 is way better than they usually are. The Big 12 is a joke.

[fleaflicker]

That is true. Still, Texas didn't dig themselves into a 21-3 hole against an overrated Arizona State team. Cal is fifth in the nation in rushing, and that may be their saving grace this year. However, if they can't pass the ball, they may be SOL against UCLA and USC. UCLA and USC have the capabilities to do both, and Drew Olson is making a case for a high draft pick next year. I still don't buy Cal or ASU, but I think UCLA and USC are for real.

[The Ancient Enemy]

What is keeping you from thinking ASU is good? They almost beat the 2-time defending national champions, and lost to LSU on a controversial call. What do you want from this team? They have a great QB and a super-great receiver. ASU is 10 times better than some of the other ranked teams. Just because the Pac-10 usually sucks doesn't mean ASU sucks. Cal is doing one of the most outstanding jobs in 2005, by losing their starting QB and RB, and not skipping one beat. UCLA has been getting better every year under Dorrell, just like I have been saying for 2 years.

[fleaflicker]

What is keeping me from thinking ASU is good is that they give up too many points, and that they gave up big leads in losses (LSU and USC). Good teams don't give up an 18 point lead and allow 35 points in a half (USC game). Cal might be good, but I am still skeptical until I actually see them beat somebody. I think their QB situation is a time bomb, and with a good enough team playing them, it will go off. In general, I just don't buy the Pac 10 being all that it's cracked up to be.