You're really graspingn now. The LSU-Oklahoma game wasn't close either. LSU dominated the game from start to finish.
Also, college teams change from year even if they keep the same QB. Penn State only one 3 or 4 games last year and now they're ranked #4 this year.
To be honest, Oklahoma benefitted from the same weak conference those years that USC did. Nebraska, Kansas State were really down and the only game that was any challenge at all was Texas.
The undeserved lovefest that the media gave Oklahoma has only been exceeded by that they have for USC.
"You're really graspingn now. The LSU-Oklahoma game wasn't close either. LSU dominated the game from start to finish." 21 to 14 isn't close?????? Yes, college teams may change but Oklahoma was sufficiently stable enough to go to the national championship game 2 years in a row (something LSU couldn't do.) Both USC and LSU faced the team lead by a Heisman quarterback. USC pounded them. LSU didn't. USC can't help what conference they are in, so the only way to evaluate them is to make such comparisons. Incidentally, you talk about the injury risk from a so-called tougher conference, but shouldn't playing in a weaker conference also make the dominant team in that conference ill-prepared and unchallenged? Yet USC rises to the challenge and wins those nonconference games.
Speaking of LSU...I have to rant for a second...First I'd like to state that I am a WVU Mountaineer. I'm just a little miffed that LSU is ranked ahead of us in the BSC poll. LSU wasn't even the SEC Champion and we beat the SEC Champion.
Thanks for letting me vent. :o) I feel better.
You have GOT to be joking!