[Murphy3]

I don't think a late loss hurts nearly as badly as in years past.

As for USC being higher than Tech and OSU right now..well, that's because both schools still have the meet of their schedule coming up.

I think you're underestimating how much Tech and OSU will rise IF they make it through this schedule with only 1 loss. Remember, if they don't lose a game until the championship game, they will be WAY ahead of USC by then in both the human and computer polls. If they lose a game and then go on to win the Big12, then you'll see voters giving them alot of credit for winning if not the best then easily the second best conference in the country while coming out of the most difficult division in the country.

I suppose you could be right...but, looking at it from what a team would have to go through to make it through the Big12 south.. I think I'm right on this one. I know where they're at currently in the rankings...but, that's just a bit misleading. USC's strength of schedule will only take a hit in both the eyes of the computers AND the eyes of the nation. Anyone that makes it out of the Big12 south will vault up the rankings. I think we've seen similar things in the past...The pollsters have shown that they'll give the nod to the team that goes through hell and survives with only one loss over the team that has a cake walk through the season but still manages a loss. Yeah, right now USC is getting the nod, but they're still riding the Ohio State win... but, OSU and Tech still have the meat of their schedule coming up.