Calling all USC fans, it's almost college football time...I have a question

[Hook 'Em Lakers]

I am a diehard Texas Longhorns fan (born in LA but grew up in Austin and currently attend the university). I was at the Rose Bowl and had one of the greatest experiences in my life. My question to all you Southern Cal fans is....can you see a Texas v. USC rematch in Tempe this January?

Here's my breakdown of the toughest games each team faces IMO...

USC:

@Arkansas - Yeah yeah, I know about 70-17 but I think this Razorback squad will be much improved. Also, it will be a tough matchup since it's the first time USC's "new face" will see the field

(note: I think that the Nebraska game will be a blowout. I feel they are very overrated after a close bowl win over a very medicore Michigan team. It wouldn't surprise me if they turned out to be this year's Tennessee)

@Arizona - A lot of people down here believe that Mike Stoops was a huge part of OU's success at the turn of the century. Some might even say that he was more important than Bob. I think Arizona is an up and coming program that could make a lot of noise in the PAC-10 this year (remember how they smacked around UCLA last year).

Oregon, Cal and @UCLA - These are always big games in the PAC-10 so I will list them here. But honestly, I think that USC always gets up for these games and they will be fine.

Notre Dame - You know the BSPN Hype-Wagon will be all over this game once again. Call me old fashioned (or a southerner) but I cannot call a team with no D whatsoever a national title contender. I think this game is another high scoring affair but the talent disparity on defense makes the game fall USC's way.

Texas:

Ohio State - Duh. The winner of this game essentially becomes the title favorite IMO. We all know the story: UT lost VY and tOSU lost their D. Should be an excellent game and I can't wait.

Oklahoma - For the past three years, the winner of this game has played for a national championship. Once again it looks like a definate possibility. OUsucks has a stout defense and it will be a great matchup with our offense (assuming our passing game is decent by October). However they have O-Line issues and our D-Line is one of the best in the country. This game (as always) will definately be decided in the trenches. Should be great.

Big XII North - As we have seen throughout Mack Brown's era, there is always one Big XII North team that plays us really well even though logic says they shouldn't. A couple years ago it was K-State and last year it was Aggie (I know they're in the south, but they're so bad we just throw them up north for speculation). There will be at least one nail-biter with one of these teams and it will be a test to see what type of poise our young QB(s) have developed. It could happen with the Nebraska game because Lincoln is a wicked place to play.


Since the playing field is so wide open this year and none of the favorites have a cream puff schedule (excpet WVU but I think they're another example of offseason overhype), I think the national championship will be played by two teams with one loss a piece.

I predict USC losing to Arizona and finishing with 1 loss. I also think Texas could lose the tOSU game, finishing with 1 loss. I think that tOSU, however, will be handed two losses in the upset-prone Big 10 (perhaps Iowa and Michigan State). This would lead to a rematch of the Trojans and the Horns in Tempe and would make me giddy.

Your thoughts?

Sorry for the length but the offseason does suck and I love talking football.

[mike_dee23]

Cal and Notre Dame will be USC's toughest matchups. UCLA won't be easy either. This season is a lot like Leinart's first year. The offensive players were all new, but the defense was experienced. The USC defense is talented and all the injured players are back. I expect the offense to start slow, but the team will keep winning because of that d. I expect USC to be in a BCS game, just not the title game.

P.S. I will enjoy this season more. That 30+ game winning streak was stressful.

[Big Money]

I cant wait either.

[Hook 'Em Lakers]

So how many losses do you see USC having? and to whom?

Also, how confident are most fans about the QB situation? Has Booty just played in garbage time or has he ever played any significant series'?

[mike_dee23]

[unggoy]

Texas/SC is certainly a possibility, but this year, there are many teams that appear able to get to the BCS title game, and yeah, I agree that it could be a game of one-loss teams.

If OU gets by Texas, they should get there - the Oregon game will be tough as well though. OU's D looks like the teams from the late 80s. Bomar looked really good in the last 5 games or so, and they still have that running back who was pretty good. If they're not one-dimensional like they were at the start of last year - and it looks like they won't be - they'll be very, very good.

WVU has the schedule, but then, so did Louisville last year. However, the RB (Slaton) is as good as anyone not named Peterson or Lynch. The offense is great.

If Miami gets by FSU September 4th, the 'Canes could get there. Also, they get VA Tech at home. As usual, the defense will win games. They just can't let teams like Georgia Tech come in to the Orange Bowl and push them around.

The 'Noles escape the Miami game and they can get there as well. Their D will be awesome - Buster Davis, Myron Rolle and perhaps the best of the whole bunch, Lawrence Timmons. It'll be tough to score on FSU.

ND has a tough schedule - as usual - but will put up points with anyone.

Texas has OU and OSU, but I think they win against the Buckeyes at home. The two new QBs have plenty of talent to lean on, and probably need to just be efficient. Nobody's going to replace VY, and they shouldn't be expected to. The D is still nasty enough to win games on their own.

SC has maybe the toughest schedule in the nation. The first 3 games out of the box - @Arky, Nebraska, @Arizona - will test the young guys. If they get by those unscathed, they have the most difficult games at home the rest of the way. The D will be much, much improved. The incoming freshmen are as good as any class Carroll has brought in.

Michigan has an interesting schedule (@Penn St and @OSU, but also Central Mich, Vandy and Ball State), but will have a good offense and defense.

UCLA should win their first 5, but then the wheels fall off and they limp into the Vegas Bowl. That's assuming they get by Utah in the opener. After the Arizona game at the Rose Bowl (no gimmie either), they're @Oregon, @ Notre Dame, @ Cal, @ ASU and USC at the RB (with a couple of home games mixed in of course).

Oh, I forgot Cal. They open with Minnesota & Tennessee, but also get Oregon & ASU at home. Of course, the trip to LA could make or break the season. Like Snead/McCoy at Texas, I don't think Longshore or Ayoob have to win games. They've got the great O-line and the oustanding RBs, as well as some nice targets to throw to (DJackson for example). The defense will be good, and the LBs are as good as anyone in the Pac-10, including SC's 50 or so guys who line up at LB.

If Cal gets past the first two....... I think they will be a dangerous team. They're not getting a lot of notice nationally, but something tells me that will change.

[Hook 'Em Lakers]

good analysis, unggoy. however, I would have to disagree with you about USC having the most difficult schedule in the country. I believe that Florida has the toughest schedule:

9/2 Southern Miss
9/9 UCF
9/16 at Tennessee *
9/23 Kentucky
9/30 Alabama *
10/7 LSU *
10/14 at Auburn *
10/28 vs. Georgia *
11/4 at Vanderbilt
11/11 South Carolina *
11/18 Western Carolina
11/25 at Florida State *

The games I have starred are all against very tough teams. I included SC because they beat UF last year.

[unggoy]

Oh, as for Arizona - I like what Stoops is doing, and he brought in the #1 rated recruit in the Pac-10 (Louis Holmes), and had a top 20 recruiting class overall. I like Tuitama at QB, and I really like Cason (CB) and Steptoe (WR), but I just don't know if they're balanced enough offensively. Maybe I haven't done enough research, but I cannot think of who will be the starting RB. This is the same team that - after kicking UCLA up and down the field for a 38 point win - lost at home to Washington. They seemed like they're going in the right direction at times, but they are pretty young and made a ton of mistakes last year. They had way more turnovers than they forced, and got bombed in the 2nd half last year pretty routinely.

Maybe a win over BYU to start the season - plus the 2nd game gimmie against Stephen F Austin - will kick start them towards a bowl. Stephen F Austin? Is it really fair, or legal under NCAA guidelines, for a team to play against ONE GUY? I hope Stephen is quick and can cover the edges.

Oh, my bad - their second game is @LSU. So maybe they go into the SC game at 2-1, assuming they get the W over BYU.

By the way, congratulations Hook 'em - I didn't want to give Texas any credit leading up to the game, but I was proven wrong once again. VY was truly spectacular. And I'm glad I got to see both him and Reggie play on the same field.

[mike_dee23]

[unggoy]

I think the Pac-10 is rated right about where they should be. Stanford didn't do the conference any favors by losing at home to UC Davis. Oregon lost their bowl game to a Big XII team. So did SC. Cal squeaks by an average MWC team they should have hammered. ASU beats Rutgers by 5. UCLA wins over a decent Northwestern team.

Cal/Tennessee
SC/Nebraska
SC/Arkansas
Washington State/Auburn
Arizona/LSU
Minnesota/Cal
Washington/Oklahoma
Oregon/Oklahoma
UCLA/Notre Dame - these are the games that'll give the Pac-10 the respect they/we want. But looking at these games, how many do you really see the Pac-10 winning? Maybe Cal both times, maybe SC both times, maybe Oregon. That's about it.

WSU will get pummled @ Auburn. Arizona will get the same at LSU. Washington/Oklahoma? Jeez - it could look like the time UCLA went to Norman a few years ago..... I think Oklahoma is still returning kicks for TDs. And the Bruins going into South Bend? U-G-L-Y.

If for some reason the Pac-10 can not only keep the scores close, but win the games, then the respect will come. Until then, it's a top-heavy conference.

Cal, SC, maybe Oregon. ASU & OSU both had their chances the last couple of years, at LSU and at home against LSU, and lost both times. Those are the games the Pac-10 absolutely needs.

[Hook 'Em Lakers]

Haha I think that every fan thinks their conference is underrated. I know that I think the Big XII is underrated. People were calling it the worst conference in the BCS (Big East doesn't count) but bowl season fared very well for us. It's really tough to decide which conferences are better than others, but if you ask me I think top to bottom the SEC is the best. In a tie for second I'd put the Big 10, Pac 10 and Big 12 because they all have their fare share of standouts, average team and poor ones. I'd have the ACC following because I think even their elite teams (FSU, VaTech, Miami) wouldn't be able to hang with with most other conference powers. Last, of course, comes the Little East and I don't think anyone would argue about that one.

[Vincent_Vega]

For me, it's a veeery remote chance of a rematch in the Fiesta. Just don't see either team getting there again this year.

I would love to see these two programs match up again in a BCS game and won't doubt the possibilities of that happening. Would certainly get some great ratings, huh?!?!

If OU gets their OL situation straight, I see them making some serious noise. Looking for Urban Meyer's Gators to be in high gear with Leak and they've got a great chance. ND's offense will be flying, but they're defense remains a big question. Ohio State loses several on defense, but I won't question Tressel's defensive coaching abilties or recent recruiting.

These are the top teams that I see having a good chance of going to the Fiesta.

End of the NBA season -- Beginning of football season==== Pure torture.

[Hook 'Em Lakers]

I'm gonna have to disagree with you about Florida making MNC noise. Don't get me wrong, they are a good enough football team to win it but their schedule is just absolutely brutal. I posted the full schedule earlier but here's what UF has to survive..

@Tennssee
Alabama
LSU
@Auburn
Georgia
South Carolina
@Florida State

Only '95 Nebraska can go through that schedule unscathed.

[NestT]

I guess we need to start a pre-season Top 25 soon.


After the World Cup this is next on my sports menu.

FIGHT ON!
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[unggoy]