Washington 16, USC 13 (final)

[Mike80]

Hopefully. I just think the recent big game history and national perception of the B10 would be too much to seperate us from USC should we both end up at 1 loss. Then again a lot depends on how a team looks at the end. We could catch fire and hear the "no one wants to play them right now" stuff in our favor for once, who knows.

First order of business would be to win out. Looking around the B10, barring major injuries, with this defense we have a very good shot at it.

Think of it this way - Ohio State has the "better" loss.

It's always the WORST cliche in the BCS era, but in the computers it will matter I think.

The coaches poll usually gets it right (the AP is meaningless) and the Harris voters really go for the team that is hotter at the time of the vote (which pushed Oklahoma over Texas last year)....

 

[DubCoffman62]

Think of it this way - Ohio State has the "better" loss.

It's always the WORST cliche in the BCS era, but in the computers it will matter I think.

The coaches poll usually gets it right (the AP is meaningless) and the Harris voters really go for the team that is hotter at the time of the vote (which pushed Oklahoma over Texas last year)....

I don't see Texas or Florida losing this year so we'll probably have to settle for the Rose Bowl or Fiesta Bowl again anyway. Hypothetically speaking though if we win out and so does USC from this point on there's so many factors in the equation that it's impossible to say this early. A key will be how far they fall ib the polls this week. They were at 3 and we were at 11. If we pass them we should be able to hold them off. The SOS's are about equal as far as I can see.

 

[Mike80]

I don't see Texas or Florida losing this year so we'll probably have to settle for the Rose Bowl or Fiesta Bowl again anyway. Hypothetically speaking though if we win out and so does USC from this point on there's so many factors in the equation that it's impossible to say this early. A key will be how far they fall ib the polls this week. They were at 3 and we were at 11. If we pass them we should be able to hold them off. The SOS's are about equal as far as I can see.

Coffman is going to the Rose Bowl?? Wow.

I don't know what games you watched today, but I think both Texas and Florida could lose to just about anyone at this point.

Texas looks bored at times and Florida's offensive line is suspect at best.

 

[Gothmog8]

The meltdown at WeAreSc is [censored]in epic...

I hope some of our fans can take a look over there, and learn that's not how you act....

No Kidding. It is pretty nasty from PC to the QB to each other...

I love it :)

 

[Gothmog8]

Coffman is going to the Rose Bowl?? Wow.

I don't know what games you watched today, but I think both Texas and Florida could lose to just about anyone at this point.

Texas looks bored at times and Florida's offensive line is suspect at best.

They certainly didn't blow out their opponents.

 

[Mike80]

They certainly didn't blow out their opponents.

And I don't think Tennessee is one of the better defenses that Florida will face.

 

[Gothmog8]

And I don't think Tennessee is one of the better defenses that Florida will face.

Can they keep up with Georgia in scoring? After today's performance.. seemed ARK & GA fielded only offense today.

 

[1926Buckeyes]

Coffman is going to the Rose Bowl?? Wow.

I don't know what games you watched today, but I think both Texas and Florida could lose to just about anyone at this point.

Texas looks bored at times and Florida's offensive line is suspect at best.

Texas just doesn't look to be as good as they were last year. They show flashes of great play, but can't keep it up.

Florida surprised me today. I didn't think that they were the '95 Huskers, but they legitimately struggled with an 'okay' Tenn team at HOME. They look very beatable and it reinforces my thoughts about Tebow not being quite the player some think he is (although he is still a great player). Also, I know it may seem odd to say, but their D doesn't impress me as much either. They're very good, but they still got pushed around at times by a one dimensional Tenn O. I guess I'm being really nitpicky, but I really thought they'd be damn near invincible on that side of the ball, and they still look beatable. I think Alabama would give them a hell of a game.

 

[ttk]

Well, looks like I was right when I posted earlier that I was worried about this game.

Also, looks like Pete was validated by going with Barkley. Barkley, even as a true freshman, has poise and confidence, and the guys rally around him. Corp, on the other hand, looked like a deer in the headlights, threw into double and triple coverage often, and under-threw receivers even on short routes.

Basically, it was the perfect formula. Take two former USC coaches, add a tough emotional win, take out the offensive and defensive emotional leaders of the team (Barkley and Mays), take out our fast receiver (RoJo), put in the worst quarterback I've seen start at USC since the pre-Carson Palmer days, add in a team that has nothing to lose.

That's almost potent enough, but then you add to it three turnovers in the red zone, along with going 0 for 10 on 3rd down conversions. Now for the hell of it, have both sides of the field knowing that Corp sucks and can't throw more than 5 yards, so that Washington can start stuffing the run by moving everyone forward. Then for the hell of it add in the horrible clock management at the end of the first half, where USC ran the ball with less than 20 seconds left and no timeouts, leaving not enough time for the field goal to go through.

Did I mention we lost by 3? Of course. USC has enough talent that even with all of the above against them, we won't lose by more than 6 points.

But damn if USC didn't figure out every way possible to lose this game. And for the fourth straight year. You can set your watch to this nonsense.

It sucks that Barkley was unable to play. It sucks so, so, so much.

 

[Steve19]

Actually, I think that a lot of posters on Buckeye boards would benefit from taking a look at the meltdown on USC boards.

Perspective, it's how you live, not what you eat for breakfast.

 

[NFBuck]

Actually, I think that a lot of posters on Buckeye boards would benefit from taking a look at the meltdown on USC boards.

Perspective, it's how you live, not what you eat for breakfast.

They really are ridiculous...acting like petulant children.

But...there is some validity to some of their gripes. For all the heat JT takes for losing big games, Petey should get just as much for dropping at least one of these turds every year. You can almost set your watch by it...which is why it didn't take me an ounce of thought to take U-Dub in the upset thread. But, the media loves them some Pete Carroll and USC, so it will just be an after thought. They may very well drop three games this year. Cal is very good and they get USC in two weeks when Barkley may still be getting his footing. NoD (I know, I know) has the firepower to possibly make that game interesting and no game in Autzen is a gimme. This may be the year that their stranglehold on the Pac-10 loses it's grip.

This will in all likelihood be year five in their title drought, and with the talent that they bring in at every position year-after-year in a pretty weak conference, I might be a little peaved too.

 

[NFBuck]

I think what we are really seeing is the some results of losing so many very good assistant coaches. The players are still there, the coaching isn't.

Good point here. For all the talent that they reel in, the lack of continuity on the coaching staff is an issue.

The whole board is in meltdown... unfortunately, I think the USC loss hurts the Buckeyes more than it does USC.

No it doesn't...at all...in any way.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry. On one hand lulz at USC for losing to Washington but on the other hand I have to ask, why can't we beat them?

Laugh. Just laugh.

Coffman's playing SC this year?

Good luck.

Cal's shaping up to be a pretty big game. Catch them the following Saturday and I'll lay real money on 'em.

I think you're confused. SOS means little compared to the polls, and the voters are all about what have you done for me lately.

Yep.

I'd say that even if OSU and USC both win out, the nearly imminent ugly wins by OSU will have a much greater impact than previous years failures.

Part of me feels this way, the optimist in me sees this year shaping up a lot like 2005. Young QB gets off to a slow start and the offense stumbles out of the gate, then he hits his stride after a few weeks, then the offense takes off seemingly overnight and starts blowing teams away. Just don't get Zooked.

 

[txp135]

They really are ridiculous...acting like petulant children.

You should give credit to BP's policy which kept this board from a melt down instead. I don't think it has anything to do with the fans as a whole. It's where you post. Every team will have their fair share of "petulant children" type fans.

 

[cincibuck]

One thing it does for sure is put a 1 loss USC ahead of us all year. If both teams win out, which I highly doubt, the head to head will win out (rightfully so imo).

Not just head to head, you need to add on-the-road. That's good for +/-7 in Vegas.

 

[BrutuStrength]

...Also, looks like Pete was validated by going with Barkley. Barkley, even as a true freshman, has poise and confidence, and the guys rally around him. Corp, on the other hand, looked like a deer in the headlights, threw into double and triple coverage often, and under-threw receivers even on short routes...

I was really surprised by Corp's poor showing. It sounded all Spring as though he had won the job (pre-injury) and was going to be the guy to carry on USC's recent excellent QB tradition. Seemed all the more impressive to me considering that meant he also beat out Mustain, whom I regarded as a quality QB.

The difference in poise/confidence between Barkley and Corp was the first thing I noticed. I had to do some house work so I didn't get to watch much of the game, but that really jumped out at me. I expected little, if any, drop off with them switching to Corp.

It also makes me wonder about Mustain and what the deal is concerning his ability. He had some nice success as a Frosh, so I'm not sure why he couldn't beat out Corp. Maybe it's the style of offense?