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Is USC the best football team in the country? (part two)
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continued from previous page
Some years, a single blemish can be overcome. In 2006 and 2007, it was the Trojans' second loss, not their first, that kept them out of the BCS title game. All they needed to do was beat UCLA in 2006 and Oregon in 2007 and it might have been them beating up on Ohio State and claiming the national championship, not Florida or LSU.
For a while, it looked like they might be able to sneak in this year. But the Pac-10's poor national reputation prevented them from jumping ahead of other one-loss teams. (Ironically, the Pac-10 finished 5-0 in bowls this year, proving that the conference wasn't nearly as bad as the "experts" believed.)
The lesson the Trojans keep failing to learn is that what happens in September and October does indeed matter.
Stubbing their toes against lesser-regarded teams in the conference will continue to prevent them from playing in the national championship game, no matter how good they are by the time the bowls roll around.
The worst part for USC fans is how well their team performs at the end of the year, now having won six of their last seven bowl games by an average score of 40-21. Crowing that they're the best team in college football is no consolation; it only puts the spotlight on another missed opportunity.
Yes, it's nice to be Rose Bowl champions again. Yes, it's nice to be considered by columnists and pundits to be the best team in the country.
But nice doesn't count in college football.
Just winning.
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