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Coming Up Roses
USC fulfilled its general season goal by beating Arizona 49-9 and clinching a Rose Bowl berth. Now the Trojans are focused on the greater prize, the Orange Bowl and BCS Championships.And now the controversy can begin all over again.
Because the BCS ignored the question "What happens if there are three undefeated teams?" we find ourselves in another mess. With USC, Oklahoma, and Auburn all unbeaten, USC likely needs the continued goodwill of poll voters and the winning computer formula to make it to Miami... assuming it beats Notre Dame and UCLA.
In the meantime, LAist asks USC fans to stand up for themselves when Auburn and SEC fans claim USC benefitted from a weak schedule. Anyone who has seen a handful of SEC games this year knows it's a watered-down conference. Auburn's only two big wins, over Georgia and Tennessee, are against some of the most overrated teams in college football. Tennessee has issues at quarterback and lost to Notre Dame. Georgia doesn't have anything resembling an offense, and has gotten very lucky with some of its wins.
Maybe LAist would have more respect for Auburn if they had scheduled tougher nonconference opponents than Louisiana-Monroe, The Citadel, and Lousiana Tech.
USC always tries to play a tough nonconference schedule. This year they added Virginia Tech. They always play Notre Dame who is supposed to be good. And they don't shy from good mid-majors like BYU and Colorado State, teams which other schools are afraid to play. The Trojans also beat three top-25 teams in Cal (No. 4), Virginia Tech (No. 15), and Arizona State (who pummeled Iowa). Oklahoma is the only other team who can say that.
On another note, LAist would like to congratulate UCLA Head Coach Karl Dorrell on the Bruins big win over Oregon. Not only did the win may UCLA bowl eligible (Insight Bowl, here we come!), but it also assured Dorrell would keep his job for another year.
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Yes, there were UCLA boosters who have been privately begging for Athletic Director Dan Guerrero to fire Dorrell and hire someone like Steve Spurrier, but that's probably not going to happen. The Bruins will just continue to be the average football team across town with the coach no one in the media likes.
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