USC #1 In AP Poll
 

Can someone - for the love of gawd - explain / justify to me USC's #1 ranking in the AP Poll? The voters are clearly desperate for a non-SEC power school, but is this the best they can do? They weren't even the best PAC 12 team last season!

Doesn't help that USC won't play anyone of consequence until Oregon Nov. 3, which should ensure their fraudulent #1 ranking until then. However, USC often screws up and loses to teams they should crush ... I'm looking at you Oregon State & Arizona State! And of course, USC won't play an SEC team in the regular season.

I'm an unashamed Crimson Tide homer, and I'd have no problem with LSU at #1. Even Oklahoma or Oregon could make a better case than USC. As it stands, the AP voters should be ashamed of themselves. It's sad, pathetic and disgusting.

Re: USC #1 In AP Poll
 

Dude, when I see LSU is NOT #1 when the season starts, I know we have a chance of winning it all. If you're a Bama fan, you should feel the same.

How USC? Because they're overhyped and spend tons of time lobbying on ESPN and thru Jim Rome. I have no idea honestly. Recruiting, maybe, but what did they do the past few years to get #1? Zippo.

Re: USC #1 In AP Poll
 

Are people aware this team is coached by LANE KIFFIN???

Re: USC #1 In AP Poll
 

Yeah, Lane "I quit in the middle of contracts to go other teams" Kiffin.
That's him.

BTW, he didn't do squat in Tennessee. If you're a Tennessee fan, you probably don't know how to take that. Like he left the Vols for another football program that ended up on probe.

...Any departure from most respectable SEC teams for the Pac 12 is embarrassing to start with. :bugeyes:

Re: USC #1 In AP Poll
 

Oh, I totally think SOME coaches ... cough-Urban Meyer-cough ... flee the SEC because they can't hack it with the big boys. Kiffin fits the bill.

Re: USC #1 In AP Poll
 

Totally. Some like Spurrier can't function anywhere else.
Coaching in the SEC requires extreme stress management skills.
That's also why some coaches were recycled like Tubberville and Houston Nutt; I don't think the many coaches can hack it.
Also, you're right, the SEC almost KILLED Urban Meyer... literally!

Re: USC #1 In AP Poll
 

Poll schmoll! Dem Tigers will still hoist that crystal football!

Re: USC #1 In AP Poll
 

Westcoast media and SEC bias.

That said, their schedule is a cakewalk. Andrew Luck and Nick Foles went pro. With that crap defenses and the best quarterback wide receiver combos in the nation, if they don't go unbeaten playing in the Pac-12, they should be embarassed.

It's okay. They'll choke... they always do.

Re: USC #1 In AP Poll
 

Hard to say Urban couldn't handle the SEC, I mean he did win a couple National Championships...

...and this is coming from a UGA alum, so I'm saying that between tightly clenched teeth


On another note I think the press needed their fix of USC hype b/c since Pete C left they've kinda sucked the dangle. I hope they crash and burn, never been a fan of theirs

Re: USC #1 In AP Poll
 

The #1 seed is a kiss of death for USC anyway. Are they even eligible to win it all this year? I thought their suspensions were still in place.

Re: USC #1 In AP Poll
 

Unless I'm mistaken, this is their first season back to postseason eligibility. I think they still have a few scholarship restrictions, but that's about it.

Re: USC #1 In AP Poll
 

I think the problem with these polls is that they don't vote based on who they think the strongest team is, they vote based on who they think will end up going undefeated.

No one in their right mind would think that USC is better than Alabama or LSU, but USC may end up undefeated (in the regular season) and LSU/Alabama have a greater likelyhood of losing 1 game along the way.

Listen to these guys explain their reasonings and you'll hear how they don't think Team A can win it all because of their tough schedule. Thats not how teams should be ranked at all.

Re: USC #1 In AP Poll
 

Hey where's UConn ?

Does the new playoff format start this year?.
4 teams really wasn't enough,should have been 8/16 or the same as the NFL playoffs with the wild cards decided by the rankings.

Re: USC #1 In AP Poll
 

USC was number #6 last year, and returned Barkley, two 1000 yard receivers and two 1000 yard rushers, so I can see why they were voted #1

After watching both games last night, Bama is clearly better

Re: USC #1 In AP Poll
 

Bama showed who the REAL #1 team in the land is last night.

Re: USC #1 In AP Poll
 

I didn't like the playcalling in the 2nd half. If you're gaining 6 to 8 yards every time you run the ball, why throw 3 straight incompletions to kill a drive just out of FG range.

McCarron looks good at times, but he often disappears late in games. I seldom see him turn it back on after a couple bad series.

But all in all, I think they'd beat the hell out of USC. The only real comp I see is LSU, or an upset if we play our C-game, which can happen to any team.