The USC Double Standard

by LSU Jonno on Sep 2, 2008 2:26 PM CDT Comment 6 comments

I submitted this to Stewart Mandel's College Football Mailbag this week.

Stewart,

Last year after week two of the season, LSU had just pounded top 10 VA Tech at home and Miss St on the road. The following week all I heard was how impressive LSU was, yet the pollsters refused to move LSU ahead of #1 USC because "We needed to give USC a chance to prove themselves".

This year, USC pounds an unranked Virginia team and all of a sudden we know enough about USC to move them into the #1 spot, ahead of UGA who, according to last year's rules, hasn't had a chance to prove themselves yet. I understand injuries could be playing a factor into this, but why not wait to see how UGA's injuries will affect them? And, why the double standard for USC?

We'll see if he answers it.

I'm not defending UGA, nor do I care about the polls at this point in the season. I just want to point out the blatent USC bias in the polls. Heck even Kyle himself dropped UGA two spots. I just can't understand what you could have possibly learned after one or two games this year, that you didn't learn last year.

1 recs | Comment 6 comments

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I think this year should be the standard.

I think USC should be moved this year and LSU should have been moved last year. If we are going to “give Team X a chance to prove themself”, then how long should we wait….two games, three games….why not just wait till the season is over to rank anyone.

I agree that there is a double standard with USC though.

by Zandor435 on Sep 2, 2008 3:15 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Personally, this is why I don't like ranking teams...

until midseason. These debates are endless, and the standards are flexible enough to allow anyone to give their own pet team the benefit of the doubt.

Richard Pittman

by Richard Pittman on Sep 2, 2008 4:23 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

It wont matter

If UGA puts up big numbers against USC, Arizona St. and Alabama, then beats UT, they will move back to the #1 spot. But if they struggle to win those games and possible even lose one then it will all be forgotten.

Don't take life to seriously, you'll never get out alive.

by bammer on Sep 4, 2008 9:09 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree, but only partially

If UGA struggles in the cited games and/or loses one, then this week’s jump by Southern Cal will be forgotten.

If, on the other hand, both Georgia and USC are undefeated through Georgia’s game against the Volunteers, USC will still be ranked ahead of Georgia, even if the Dawgs’ cumulative victories are, by that time, more impressive than the Trojans’. That is, now that USC is #1, they will stay there unless and until they lose. The best Georgia can hope for, if they remain undefeated, is #2. Fortunately, that would be enough.

by NCT on Sep 4, 2008 1:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well

If UGA somehow plays like they are the #2 or #1 team and handles ASU, USC and Bama easily, then i could see them jumping USC. But they will have to dominate. Any hickup or close call will only justify their #2 ranking.

Don't take life to seriously, you'll never get out alive.

by bammer on Sep 4, 2008 3:43 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Let me put it like this...

If a team was going to ever jump USC in the polls, I think it would have to be LSU last year after the second game of the year. This leads me to believe that there is nothing that UGA can do to jump USC at this point, however all USC needs to do is pound an unranked, middle-of-the-pack team from the worst BCS conference in the country and all of a sudden they are god’s gift to college football.

Obviously this will all play out, and the chances of USC and UGA both finishing undefeated are very slim, but if they did, what rationale would you have to vote USC over UGA?

by LSU Jonno on Sep 4, 2008 5:01 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs