USC No. 1 from start to finish in AP poll

AP via NJOnline ^ | 01.05.05 | By RALPH D. RUSSO

[Southack]

Utah deserved 3rd place.

[Dead Dog]

Time will tell, but he's missed at Oregon.

[chronotrigger]

but I was pulling against USC when I heard OJ would be at the game!!!

Yeah, that game was a real murder, wasn't it : )

[chronotrigger]

Utah looked far better than either of those two

1) Utah played a pathetic Pittsburgh team (ranked under 20).

2) Va. tech #3 defense in the country, Auburn #4 defense in the country, that's why the score was close.

3)College football is about winning games, not impressing people that don't understand the sport.

[B.Bumbleberry]

Agree. Too bad Utah didn't get a chance to play Auburn instead of getting hooked up against a team with two losses. I'd bet Utah would have given Auburn a good drubbing.

[SF Republican]

Yeah, like me. I'd vote USC #1, but I was pulling against USC when I heard OJ would be at the game!!! - why, why do people do things like this? it is truly absurd to be against an institution because of one person in the stands.

[chronotrigger]

Oklahoma only beat 1 top ten team. Not exactly a tough schedule.

[rebelyell]

Speaking as a Gamecock, we are thrilled the OBC is now wearing our visor. I've always liked y'all and were pulling for you the other night when bumbling Charlie Strong was doing his best to look like HC material. Congrats on your new coach...he's a good one.

[William Blake]

why pick on auburn as being "no-class?" Every bowl game I flipped to had the same thing.... Sportsmanship in general has disappeared from college sports.

I graduated from Bama but even with that bias, auburn was beaten pretty soundly two years in a row in the two previous seasons by USC..... I think their third game would yield the same result.

[Southack]

"Look at the final polls, both still voted OU ahead of Utah. OU looked pathetic last night, barely beat an A&M team (by deflecting a tying touchdown in the endzone on the final play) that Utah handily whipped, and the results for USC and Utah against their 3 common opponents were very similar. Yeah, Pitt wasn't that great an opponent, but Utah thrashed them and handed them their worst loss of the season, 38-7, with Pitt's other losses being by 12, 7, and 7. Not saying that Utah should be ranked ahead of USC(though they and Auburn should have a shot playing USC in a 4 team playoff finish), but they darn should be ranked ahead of once again overrated Oklahoma."

Southack's Top 5 - Final Ranking:

1. USC
2. Auburn
3. Utah
4. Cal
5. Oklahoma

3 undefeateds round out my top 3; can't say the same for the AP and Coaches poll.

[chronotrigger]

You seem to presume the sportswriters are against Auburn. Why would they be?

Auburn university is in the state of Alabama, Alabama voted for George Bush.

[Sprite518]

Well Auburn beat LSU, Georgia, and Tennessee twice. Along with Virginia Tech at the end of the season( which is a lot tuffer since most college teams peak at the end).

Bush is good, but so is Carnell Williams. He should be a first round draft pick in the NFL draft.

[chronotrigger]

"Sagarin's computer rankings at USA Today put USC's schedule strength at 7th and Auburn's at 60th."

All of that stuff is subjective. The only way to fix college football is to go to a plus one system.

[Southack]

How did Cal get in my list?!

[dfwgator]

Urban has his work cut out for him, that's for sure. That was not pretty what we threw out against Miami the other day.

[chronotrigger]

After all, doesn't California pay better than any other state?

(in reference to being too tough on Ok.) Not that good. Besides, you can always recruit out of state.

[rebelyell]

Well, those kids have endured a lot of turmoil this year nd I never expected Strong to be able to have them ready. I expect Urban to have y'all challenging UT for the east next year. Anyone but those damned UGlies.

[misterrob]

Auburn got jobbed due to their non-conference schedule. It sucks I suppose but OU beat everyone that they were supposed to and were lucky enough to start the season ranked higher.

There's no other way to do this than to scrap the bowls and have a playoff of the top 8 teams. A team has to win 3 games and then they are the champs. You play throughout November and early December with the champs playing on NY's day.

[Dog Gone]

It's hard to argue with that ranking, but I don't think the next preseason ranking will look like that.

It's impossible not to have USC ranked #1 for next year, but I believe everyone else on that list will have a new QB starting for them.

Even if USC loses Leinart, it seems that Norm Chow can create a new star instantly.

[MikefromOhio]

you forgot Florida and Miami in that mix too....

Auburn had their once-every-ten-year teams this year that will run the table but not go anywhere and then here in about 3 years they will be scraping by to get to a bowl game AGAIN....

Auburn didnt get any respect because they hadnt earned it in previous years. Remember all the years here (The past 3 I believe) where the sports writers were saying Auburn was the best team in the nation? This year they actually might have been, but couldnt over ride the past few years of disappointments...

Ohio State isnt over rated. You will see next year, barring any probation....