USC

And congratulations to Auburn for a most outstanding, exceptional season.

Yes and CONGRATS to Auburn on a fine undefeated season as well. Unfortunately we won't get to enjoy an Auburn/USC finale although I wouldn't give Auburn much of a chance as USC is just so deep on both sides of the ball not to mention the coaching edge.

AND, Congrats to my Hokies; even though they lost to Auburn, they started out unranked and picked sixth in the ACC, and ended up number 10 in the country (although if you lose to number 1 by 9, and number 2 by 3, are you really only number 10??)

AND, we will refrain from any commentary on the Hokies first year exerience in ACC basketball. Three things not to watch: sausage being made, laws being made, and Hokie basketball in the ACC year 1.

And congrats to the Iowa Hawkeyes who provided the most exciting finish to a bowl game and who’s defense is second to none!

SBK,

I don't have as much time as I'd like to follow football, but managed to attend the bowl game in Orlando. Wow, best football game I've ever been to!

Kurt Ferentz should be named coach of the year. After 4 games Iowa was 2-2 and lost their top 4 running backs. They then won 8 in a row to end the season ranked #8 in the nation for the third straight year. Their leading runner had 219 yards for the season.

One of the best line backers in the country is from your home state.

MTO7LHP,

You've gotta be kidding me. Auburn matches up very well against USC offense. Their strength is their defensive backfield. I know USC beat them last year but that was then and this is now. I knew OU could not hang with USC. They had a very weak conference with only Texas being good and they barely beat Michigan. Tennessee destroyed Texas A&M who should've beat OU. SEC is the toughest in the country and if you go undefeated, you should be playing for the ring. USC did what they were supposed to do and Congrats to them but Auburn would've been a better matchup. The #1 points allowed team in the country.

PGStaff,

It had to be a great game for you to see in person because it was pretty darn good on the radio. I was driving on I-80 during the ice storm and when Dolph and Podolak started screaming, I almost drove off the road.

Greenway is a heck of a player although I just moved across the border a year ago. I was born and raised back in your neighborhood.

Also, I’d appreciate it if you don’t talk about Ferentz like that no matter how much he deserves it. We don’t need to attract any more attention to him than he’s already getting, if you know what I mean?

I thought the Rose Bowl was very entertaining. Even though I was pulling for Michigan, well I was really pulling for Texas to loose more than pulling for Michigan. Auburn had a great year but I don't think they would fare much better than OU. USC is just way better right now than everyone else. I would rather have seen Utah against USC. At least we would have seen both teams score a bunch of points instead of just one.

Ferentz is an outstanding coach. Recently signed a long extension but not for huge $. Will he bite on one of these huge NFL offers?
Iowa was aided in winning that game by an asleep at the switch Nick Saban whose mind must have been elsewhere.

Fighting Squirrel,

I kid you not... USC simply has too many weapons even for Auburn and the their defense ain't too shabby either. I just wouldn't like Auburn's chances (not to say they don't have a chance)in a finale. My prediction would be USC 34 Auburn 13.

P.S. Nick Saban is over-rated in my book.

Sorry, I have to chime in here. Let it be known that I am in no way an Awbarn fan. USC should be commended on beating the crud out of OU, but OU has a history of choking in the big games the last couple of years. They made some mistakes and just laid down the other night. I think that USC is the better tteam than OU. Did it ever occur to anyone that maybe USC was on their game and OU had their worse game. Take away OU's turnovers in the first half, and the halftime score is 14-10. Take away the turnovers and they don't score 30. I know that is part of the game, but it looked to me like one team was on and the other was flat.

Awbarn's defense is so much better than OU"s that it is not funny. The secondary of Auburn would never have been thrown all over like OU's was. (Shame on Stoops for leaving his one corner on an island to get tortured all night. Bad coaching) Awbarn's secondary is faster by far and it would have been up to the running game for USC. Awbarn is the best there also. Awbarn's qb would not have puked all over like Jason (I puked again) White did. He should not have won the Heisman last year after then Kansas game.

I am not saying that Awbarn would win, but no way does USC score 35. How can a team go undefeated in the SEC and not be considered a top team. Hands down the toughest conference in the game.

I will give the coaching edge to Norm Chow and his proven track record. Not to Carroll. The BCS sucks

I don't think I said that Auburn would win but they would be in the game. OU secondary looked lost while Auburn's is senior laden and was only burned after they started playing a Frosh in the 2nd half of the Sugar Bowl. Hokies are gonna be **** good next year though. Their defense is top notch.

Lets face facts. If a certain receiver catches the dadgum ball Auburn go's down in flames, not to mention the chip shot FG!

Saw the games....

USC 847 Auburn 3

And if the Bradley kid doesnt try to pick up the kick the Sooners may have won the game---the fumble was a the key-- Took MR MO MENTUM and put him in a Trojan Uniform

For that one night USC was the best team in the land--no doubt about it--

Now does the team return next year---It would be fun to see--they even have a redshirt freshman QB ready to step in

quote:

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Originally posted by TRhit:
And if the Bradley kid doesnt try to pick up the kick the Sooners may have won the game

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Tell me you're kidding.....please.

As an SC alum, I'd first like to say





USC dominated in the Orange Bowl in every phase of the game - offense, defense, coaching, special teams, preparation, character, etc.

OU was unprepared, spent a month talking trash and is typically the case, had no respect for a west coast team. It's that lack of respect for the West coast that put OU in last's years title game rather than SC against LSU. SC never whined and cried last year. They accepted that slight and the hand dealt 'em and went out and whipped Michigan in last year's Rose Bowl and that's because a top priority with the SC program is having character.

The SC coaching staff is simply unsurpassed. The last three years, given time to prepare for a Bowl game, they annihilated Iowa in the Ornage Bowl in '02, then Michigan last year in the Rose and, of course this year's blow out. they went wire to wire as #1 this year, only the second time in College football history.

An interesting thing after the game was Stoops never congratulated SC, Birdline (who shot off his mouth for weeks) still claimed "in his heart' OU was the better team .

On the other side, every SC player and coach interviewed immediately congratulated OU and gave them respect. Pete Carroll never talks about winning, he talks about having fun, the excitement of playing, the thrill of the game and of giving it your best... Winning is the end result of the hard work and fun. It's like Branch Rickey once said that luck is just the residue of hard work.

Much as what this website addresses in selecting a college and its baseball program, these elements of having fun, playing for the love of the game, being where you are happy is so key and that is what the SC football program has tapped into. I know a part of the reason my son chose the college he did was because the coach there, out of the many he spoke to, was the only one that said, among other things, that they work hard, but like to have fun at it. No one else ever used the "fun" word with him. The typical comment made to him by most other coaches was we are here to win.

It's about attitude, an approach, a positive and upbeat outlook that can and should bring out the best and that is what SC has done in its football program and their success and ongoing recruiting is becoming so successful it is ridiculous.

As far as Auburn, SC dominated them in 'O3 23-0 at Auburn in Leinhart's first game at SC and in '02 beat Auburn handily. This year SC handily beat VaTech and Tech, with a few breaks easily could have beaten Auburn. The only team in the last few years to give SC a serious game has been Cal (and Cal's the last team to beat the Trojans, about 21 games ago and that took 3 overtimes).

The Trojans are playing at another level now and I can only repeat that a large part of it is about attitude and approach and desire and having fun working hard at your game and those key elements have worked for SC and work in any endeavor; and picking a school where you fit, where you'll be happy, is the place where you will succeed.

Fight on..............

I came on the site JUST to send you a congratulatory private message but see that it is not necessary as I can say it just as well here I am sure that everyone shares your joy and that you will come back down to earth soon . Congrats!!

DIAMOND BOY

Cmon please !!!! My foot

Nobody will argue that the game turned on the fumble___it opened the floodgates-- and the Trojans took advantage of it--all the power to them