Posted on 11/30/2005 3:17:21 PM PST by rockthecasbah
Now this is truly a football game the city of Los Angeles could love. The battle between the Bruins and Trojans is in many ways a bizarre, weird, excessive testosterone festival with big stakes and over-the-top emotions. It's everything the City of Angels is. In a place obsessed with image, trendiness, physical beauty, and maximum entertainment value, this year's battle for the Victory Bell will certainly capture the imagination of Angelino culture. This game is the sort of larger-than-large uber-spectacle that Hollywood thrives on. It's so big a game that it doesn't really feel like a regular-season finale. It's as though the clash between Westwood and Troy exists on an island in a one-of-a-kind world inaccessible to anyone outside L.A.
Reggie Bush's historic performance against Fresno State may have locked up another Heisman Trophy for the Trojans. (Jeff Gross / Getty Images) After all, UCLA will have had three weeks to prepare for this game, USC two. The only other time two football teams have a combined 4-5 weeks to prepare for a game — other than a college bowl battle, of course — is the Super Bowl. And in a non-NFL city whose college teams have entertained immensely over the past few years, thank you very much. Why would L.A. want a pro team? This game looks, cooks and feels like one with Super Bowl-level significance, hype and pressure. Moreover, it will be played in the L.A. Coliseum, which hosted the first Super Bowl back in 1967. Yeah, that's right, 1967 — the same year Orenthal James Simpson made the single greatest play in the Bruins-Trojans rivalry, right on that very same Coliseum field.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.foxsports.com ...
yeah that's fine, but you got to admit that they have also played in a conference that hasn't really shown much defense in the past 3 or 4 years, outside of USC's of course.
Like I said, top 10...probably 6 or 7, but they aren't the best ever. They aren't even better than last year's incarnation.
"They aren't even better than last year's incarnation"
I think this year's offense is better than last years (though they're mostly the same guys, just a little more perfected). The defense this year in comparison to last year has suffered in terms of yards allowed (ie weak against the pass).
Here is Mandels take:
If Texas loses: Unless they remain in the BCS top four (not likely), the Longhorns would likely be left out altogether, because the Fiesta is not going to stage a Colorado-Texas rematch, and the Orange would almost certainly use its selection on Notre Dame. My guess:
Rose: USC vs. Penn State
Fiesta: Colorado vs. Oregon
Sugar: LSU/Georgia vs. West Virginia
Orange: Virginia Tech vs. Notre Dame
If USC loses: Believe it or not, the Trojans would still get the Pac-10's automatic berth, winning a three-way tie with UCLA and Oregon because, of all things, the Bruins lost to Arizona. Don't ask. ...
Rose: Texas vs. Penn State
Fiesta: USC vs. Ohio State
Sugar: LSU/Georgia vs. West Virginia
Orange: Virginia Tech vs. Notre Dame
If USC and Texas lose and LSU beats Georgia: If Virginia Tech wasn't playing a four-loss team, it might have had a chance to move ahead of LSU for No. 2. ...
Rose: Penn State vs. LSU
Fiesta: USC vs. Colorado
Sugar: West Virginia vs. Notre Dame
Orange: Virginia Tech vs. Texas
If USC and Texas lose and Georgia beats LSU: The Orange Bowl would get the top two picks. ...
Rose: Penn State vs. Virginia Tech
Fiesta: USC vs. Colorado
Sugar: Georgia vs. West Virginia
Orange: Notre Dame vs. Texas
Hopefully that helped, though I'm guessing by now you're only slightly less confused than Frank Solich was when the cops tapped on his window.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/stewart_mandel/11/30/mandel/index.html
yeah I saw that earlier...
I kinda like the scenario where OSU plays USC, but I don't think any of this will happen....
maybe. We will see.
USC just doesn't strike me as strong enough through the air. It's Dwayne Jarrett and who else?
Just THINK if it were Dwayne Jarrett and Mike Williams. That would make the best tandem this year, Holmes and Ginn, look like high schoolers....
"Dwayne Jarrett and who else?"
Freshman Patrick Turner - just wait.
yeah but he isn't what MIke Williams was...
that's what I am saying. Here and now man, here and now....
Turner is hurt because no one can shut down Jarrett....
That is the song they sing so well.
Sounds like HELL!
Short!
Aye!
Whoop!
Trajan88; TAMU Class of '88
I think I need to get knee-deep in the middle of that and play "peace maker" ;-)
I'm not sure USC's defense will be able to stop Vince Young. Will Texas's defense be able to stop USC's offense?
The Trojans have no defense this year.
They are good, but not like last yr's team.
To me, that was just a bad day. Remember, this defense is the same one that ended Ted Ginn's Heisman hopes, the same one that a few weeks ago held three teams scoreless for what amounted to two whole games (from halftime of the OK State game, through the Baylor game, and until just after halftime of the Kansas game). It also has several bona fide high draft picks in next year's draft (Aaron Harris, Cedric Griffin, Rod Wright, Michael Huff, to name a few).
Also, please remember that Texas had game planned for Reggie McNeal and it wasn't until just before the game that it was announced that he'd be benched in favor of McGee, a somewhat different QB. As long as USC doesn't bench Leinart in favor of John (?) David Booty, Texas should be fine.:)
11 Trojans against 1 'horn........even an idiot can do the math.
Will Texas's defense be able to stop USC's offense?
What defense?
But Republican (and I'm assuming conservative) Troy Aikman went there! Go UCLA!
Total longshot, but I'd like to see Joe PA and Penn State sneak into the national title game. Who is more likely to lose, Texas in the big 12 championship or USC against UCLA???
The largest metro area in the country and USC can't regularly fill the coliseum. Meanwhile, SEC schools consistenly sell out 80-90-100,000+ seat stadiums in cities a fraction the size of Los Angeles.
USC by far. They are facing a very powerful offense with there suspect defense. USC will probably win, but they will face a battle.
You're likely wrong about that. It depends on how far they would drop in the human polls, which make up 2/3 of the BCS formula. If USC loses to UCLA, they drop to at least #3 in the polls, and maybe #4. That would more than likely knock them out of the BCS top two.
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