By: Sean Quinn
We forget to take out the trash. We forget to pick up the in-laws from the airport. We forget to bring home dinner. These are all reasonable slip-ups, (to men anyhow). Forgetting about USC’s 29-straight wins, though, is something that is not only unreasonable but stupid.
The BCS slipped up like it has for every week of its weak eight-year existence. That was expected. Hearing people agree with the latest ratings, in which Texas was ranked ahead of the two-time defending national champions, wasn’t expected.That’s OK, though. Pete Carroll doesn’t mind and neither do his players. In fact, they need some more motivation. Heck, winning 29-straight and boasting a sleuth of all-Americans gets old after awhile.
We have yet to really even see how good Texas really is. All the fingers point to their shellacking of then No. 10 Texas Tech. Here’s a note to consider about that game: The Red Raiders are trash and head coach Mike Leach is the garbage man. It’s impressive to lead the nation’s number one passing attack, but it’s repulsive to do so against non top 25 teams, like Indiana State, Sam Houston State, Kansas, Kansas State, Nebraska and the powerhouse that is Florida International. With a combined record of 15-25, Leach has run up the score deep into the fourth quarter. Maybe the word class skipped over the Texas panhandle, just like the real athletes have skipped over Lubbock and landed at UT, A&M and OU.
Leach’s system has produced NCAA passing leaders such as Kliff Klingsbury, BJ Simmons and now Cody Hodges. What it hasn’t done is produce NFL prospects, as neither Klingsbury nor Simmons has thrown a single pass in the NFL. More passes will be made at Barbara Bush in the next five years than passes made by Red Raiders in the NFL. So don’t compare Tech to the likes of the top ranked USC offense because Pete Carroll not only produces championships and all-Americans, he produces NFL standouts.
Luckily for Leach on Saturday, UT head coach Mack Brown learned his manners in grade school and didn’t run up the score. Playing their first real opponent, The Longhorns deserved to win by a lot more than the final score of 52-17.
The win bumped 7-0 Texas into the top spot in the BCS, .0007 points higher than second place USC. That margin is slimmer Kate Moss on the day of a fashion show.
Texas deserves to be ranked in the top 5 and probably right behind the Trojans at No. 2. After all, Vince Young is going to be a Heisman finalist, leading the team in both passing and rushing touchdowns. Young has thrown for almost 1,600 yards and rushed for nearly 500 yards to lead UT’s top 15 offense.
Young’s break-out performance came on the last drive of the game against Ohio State in the second game of the season. After a mediocre night, Young capped off a 72-yard drive with a 24-yard touchdown pass to put Texas up for good with less than three minutes left. He showed no regard for the best line-backing corps in the nation.
So why isn’t Texas No. 1?
First of all, OSU head coach Jim Tressel gave that game away by tinkering with his quarterbacks. He couldn’t decide to pull Justin Zwick for the more athletic Troy Smith until the Buckeyes were down 10-0. The UT win can also be blamed on OSU tight-end Ryan Hamby, who dropped a sure touchdown pass that would have closed the door. It was the type of play that warrants an endorsement contract with Butterfinger candy bars.
It still was an impressive win over a top five team, but let us not forget about USC. How can you forget about USC? It’s like forgetting to put on pants in the morning. You just don’t do it.
USC knocked off Arizona State on the road, which was ranked in the top 20 at the time. Oh yeah, they were also involved in the greatest college football game so far this century. Unlike the way OSU aided UT, the Irish played the very best game they could have hoped for and they still lost. Vince Young could afford to take three quarters to finally get in a groove, but Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush didn’t have that much time. Leinart had to complete a fourth-and-nine in order to remain undefeated because Brady Quinn’s receivers didn’t drop any passes. Quinn instead forced the Trojans to score on the last play of the game, after the Irish went up with less than three minutes left in the fourth quarter.
It’s true that the Trojans’ opponents so far have had a sub-.500 record but their remaining competition has a .735 winning percentage. Compare that to a .536 winning percentage of Texas’ remaining opponents. And it will be even more impressive when USC knocks off unbeaten UCLA on Dec. 3.
The BCS ratings will eventually move USC back up to the top spot, but the Trojans should have never left the No. 1 rating that has been home to them for nearly two years. Not that it matters because USC they will be in the BCS Championship in January. What’s scary for Texas is that everyone else already knows USC will be there.
5 replies on “Hook this: USC is No. 1”
comment Great article! Good points, analysis, etc.
P.S. I TOTALLY agree with you, USC is No. 1 until beaten. (which may be never, who knows?)
Very true and I would add this Texas has a great chance of not only getting passed by USC but by Virginia Tech.
The Longhorns close the year with Oklahoma State, Baylor, Kansas, Texas A&M, and the Big 12 North winner. In other words, their computer ranking is about to start dropping.
Meanwhile Virginia Tech closes with BC, Miami, Virginia, UNC, and probably Florida State. That’s three opponents currently ranked 13th in the nation or higher. If they run the table, I bet they make up enough in the computer rankings to pass Texas.
Texas is number one this week, this season You are all missing the mark by just a smigin’. Last year is last year, 28 in a row is actually 7 in a row. But in the end USC has the more difficult task of going undefeated at seasons end. They will face three nationally ranked teams including UCLA and the ever so unpredictable Cal Bears, where as Texas faces a group of nobodies with a cumulitive win percentage of aroung .650. Throw in Virginia Tech who faced Boston and left them looking for more tea and Miami at no. 6 looming large on the hill. If, and if they take down Miami, Texas should fall to no. 3 and the young Vick will get his chance to show his quality on the Rosy stage in Pasadena.
2005 is the only year that matters I’ve heard enough times from people that they have won 29 in a row and until someone beats them they’re number one. That is flat out ridiculous, teams are playing for the 2005 season title. Not the 2003-2005 season title. Anything prior to 2005 does not matter. If VA Tech goes unbeaten in the ACC its an absolute disgrace if they don’t make it in. Texas and USC its a toss up. I feel that Texas overall is a more complete and better team. USC fans want to point out how bad the longhorns schedule is at the end of the season. Which is a valid and true statement. Lets not forget to look at the whole season where USC opened up the season playing no one. Texas at least had the guts to go play someone tough out of conference. Teams can’t control how good their conference is, but they can decide how tough they want to make their non-conference games. USC fans will point out Notre Dame, who they play every year and at season’s start no one thought would be as good as they are. IF everyone wins out I would like to see Texas vs VA Tech.
THANK YOU rjahern has got the right idea. It the nail right on the head. 2005 is the season right now and the 2 best in 2005 should be going to the national championship.