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Strength of schedule plays a big part of why they're being jumped, but also losing to Oregon State is a big part of it too. Oklahoma lost to Texas and Texas lost to Texas Tech. I don't like how Florida is at #5 since losing to Ole Miss, but the Gators have blown out the 2 top 10 teams they've faced while USC has blown out unranked teams since losing to the Beavers. Strength of schedule, who you lose to, and who you beat plays a big part of where you're ranked.

Pac-10 has never gotten any love from the pollsters. Big 12 and SEC have always been the fan favs and thats who they play up to. But its USC fault to losing to Ore. St and with a weak Pac-10 doesn't help either.

This year they are getting jumped by other 1 loss teams. Putting Texas and Oklahoma above them makes sense as they lost to teams that were highly ranked. How these teams continue to play should be factored in as to whether they stay above USC. But, then there is Florida who was beat by Ole Miss. Now Ole Miss is a media darling this year, 'the best 4-3' team in the country. It was a close, last minute loss to a team that was unranked. Should they have moved above USC? I think it is the strength of schedule that is taken into consideration here and the strength of their subsequent wins. Florida crushed two ranked teams in LSU and Georgia.

Is it fair? Depends on who you are cheering for. But the real determination will come at the end of the year when everything has played out.

There's no doubt that USC is a dominant team year-in and year-out, and certainly coach Carroll is a phenomenal recruiter; on par with Nick Saban and Jim Tressel for sure. But USC is blessed (or cursed) with an inferior PAC-10. Naturally, it's a blessing when they win all their games because they're a lock for the National Championship game. Conversely, it's a curse when they slip-up and can't rebound due to strength of schedule issues. Penn State is undefeated and facing the same circumstances, although blame should not be placed as they have yet to lose. The only remedy for USC is to schedule strong out of conference foes to offset their mediocre conference wins. In their defense, they attempted to do just that with Ohio State this year. But because the Big-10 is equally mediocre and they lost to Oregon State, their fate is no longer in their hands. I would say that a weak Pac-10 is more of an advantage for USC than a hinderance, as recent history has demonstrated. The caveat; you can't lose...period. Throw in the fact that the Pac-10 doesn't play a conference championship game, and the media darling that is USC will forever be in jeopardy of being passed over come the end of the season. It's unfortunate for the Trojans that the Pac-10 is a sub-par conference and it's certainly out of USC's purview. In the meantime, don't lose. It could be worse...Penn State hasn't and they still won't play for the title. If USC was undefeated, you can bet thay would be in south Florida in January.

I agree on every point theTruth. Great analysis. I must also comment on the outstanding photo of you and I presume your spouse with Gov. Sarah Palin. She will return for a higher office in the not too distant future.

Plain & simply it is better for all of college football if every conference plays at its best! But as individual teams .... you have no control over what any other team does!!

So, the bottom line.....USC lost to Oregon State...oh well ....it happened.....cant change it!!
& the Pac-10 isnt doing well at all...cant change that either!!!
& the computers put us in 7th....... again not much anyone can do about it!!

I'll take the wins & losses we have........ & I'll pray to my deceased grandparents to help USC beat cal this weekend!! heehee! ( they would so get a kick out of that)

& I'll continue to cheer for all of college football!!

& if we happen to get to the rose bowl again & everyone says that the season was a bad one...I'LL TAKE IT!!!!!!! Cause there are a lot of people who would LOVE to go to the Rose Bowl & hadnt had the chance in a long time.......& they would not consider it a losing season if the prize was a Rose Bowl!! Sure every team wants the crystal football.....but only one gets it ... & its usually not your teams every year!!!

So, in an off year...

...if things don't go so well
they will finish in the top 1/3 of their conference.

...if issues under their control go well
they will make another BCS appearance.

...and with a little help
they will win their conference.

Haven't we lost a bit of perspective here?

Yes, the Pac 10 sucks this year. And, not trying to make excuses, but they would be better had Oregon and UCLA not been playing with their 3rd string quarterbacks all season. Not to mention wimpy Washington having lost the only piece of offense they had (Jake Locker) and Arizona St with gimpy Carpenter. And Cal playing with backups most of the season as well. That's five of the ten teams playing with reserve quarterbacks. That hurts, man.

Where would the Big 12 be (specifically the Big 12 South) without their starting quarterbacks? I know Texas Tech wouldn't fall off the chart too far because of the system they're in, but think about Texas or OK State. And what about Florida without Tebow? Just speculating.

By the way, the wimpy Pac 10 is 1-0 against the SEC and 2-1 against the Pig 10. That should also be factored into the BCS. But it won't be. The only thing that'll be factored in is how wimpy the Pac 10 as a whole is. Bummer.

Sideburned, my boy! where ya been? Probably laid up with some stripper if I know you. Ha!

I think USC is a solid team but the loss cost them with no playoffs. They are not out of it but the winner of the SEC will play in the big game. They have to pray Texas Tech falls. We need playoffs and all the talk would stop and it would clearly show who is the best. Take champs and runner up teams and have playoff bowl games.. same big money and right result.

I'll agree with that DOC