Rose Bowl = Laugher

[Big Al]

Speed kills...especially in college football. USC is one of the fastest teams offensively ever. With a month to rest up and their legs fresh, I look for the Trojans to run away from Texas and win/cover easily.--Big Al--

[tech]

Has anybody seen a sportsbook with individual player props on this game yet?

[hogua]

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As a person that believes Texas has a great chance of winning, I will respond with this.

Fresno St game.

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Texas A&M game.

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Tech beat me to it!


So, when has Texas faced any team with the speed and/or complexity of SC's offense or defense? Oh, and when have they faced a team with both? Umm.. never and that could be a problem.

Just ask Bob Stoops about last year's game.

[fnurt]

Of course Texas is not a perfect team, but this business about Texas A&M has absolutely no relevance to the original post, which claimed that SC has a uniquely complex defense. If you want to argue "SC has a vulnerable defense, but it won't matter because Texas can't open it up the way Fresno State can," then fine, but it would be a different discussion than the one we've been having.

Does anyone actually want to contest the point that the caliber of SC's defense is nowhere close to the caliber of its offense?

[tech]

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Of course Texas is not a perfect team, but this business about Texas A&M has absolutely no relevance to the original post, which claimed that SC has a uniquely complex defense. If you want to argue "SC has a vulnerable defense, but it won't matter because Texas can't open it up the way Fresno State can," then fine, but it would be a different discussion than the one we've been having.

Does anyone actually want to contest the point that the caliber of SC's defense is nowhere close to the caliber of its offense?

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Actually I agree with you, but how is somebody just saying "Fresno St." as an arguing point any different than somebody just saying "Texas A&M?" Exactly. It is not. Each team has had spots during the season where they looked less than perfect. It happens. For every blemish on USC, I can quote one on Texas and vice-versa.

[Dudd]

I'm pretty sure that Ohio States defense is much better than USC's, and Texas still managed to beat them. They haven't seen an offense as good as USC, but USC hasn't seen a defense close to as good as Texas. I see a lot of value in Texas, 7 points is just too much. Comparing to last year's national title game, SC this year isn't as good as SC last year, especially on D. Fresno and ND showed that their D can give up points, and Texas's offense is better than both of those. I look for a high scoring game, with turnovers deciding the game. In no way do I think a 20 point USC victory is likely.

[TwoNiner]

I just want to know how the best team ever came close to losing 3 games this year? This is not 95 Nebraska. All this is about the OU game last year who completely crumbled after Mark Bradley's bonehead play trying to pick up that punt at his own 3. I think USC should be a slight favorite b/c of the coaching advantage with 4 weeks, and the experience of winning the national championship last year. I'm not buying the blowout talk though on the grounds that "USC just hasn't gotten up for those close games". The only real marquee game USC had was @ Notre Dame and it was a freaking dog fight (same goes for Texas @ Ohio State). Texas is inarguably a better team than Notre Dame but USC is in a better situational spot for this game with the time off, almost home field etc.. I think it is a close matchup. With these offenses it is still possible one team wins by 17 or more, but if you play it 100 times I think most of them will be absolutely great games.

[rtrombone]

Styles make games. How did Notre Dame and Fresno St. move the ball against USC? With a precision passing game supplemented by enough running to provide balance. ASU also hurt them through the air. Nobody is arguing that these teams are better than Texas, but the reality may very well be that they were better equipped to exploit USC's biggest weakness--its cornerbacks.

Texas crushed its opponents this year by simply overpowering them. Look it up. They passed for 234.7 yards per game (42nd in the country) and rushed for 273.8 (3rd). Smaller teams could not match up with that offensive line, and in football when you get dominated at the line of scrimmage you get destroyed.

So many more things can go wrong for Texas in this game. Who's in worse shape if they fall behind by two touchdowns, Texas or USC? Who's more likely to turn the ball over in a bad spot? Which coaching staff do you trust to make better in-game adjustments? Let me tell you something--if USC keeps Texas in third and long for much of the game they are going to ANNIHILATE them.

Everyone says USC hasn't seen an offensive line like Texas' or a QB like Vince Young. What they forget is that the D practices against USC's offensive line--every bit as good as Texas'--daily. Oh, they also see a lot of a guy who's more athletic and faster than Young. He wears #5.

Texas backers want everyone to forget about what happened last year. "We're not Oklahoma," they say. Yeah, you're not. You're the squad that regularly took it up the ass from Bob Stoops and his boys. Fine, forget about last year. You still have to respect USC's track record. Three years ago they easily defeated an Iowa team quarterbacked by another mobile Heisman candidate, Brad Banks. And Kirk Ferentz is a MUCH better coach than Mack Brown. Look at his record in bowl games. Two years ago USC handily beat a Michigan team many considered the hottest, if not the best, in the country.

I think Pete Carroll will find a way to stymie Texas' relatively elementary offense. Once he gets out of his comfort zone Young will throw at least two picks. He did against Ohio State, and USC has come up with a TON of turnovers this year. If Ohio State was able to score 22 on Texas, how many will USC score? Remember, that Ohio State team still played Tressel ball. I don't know who this impostor is who's opened up the offense.

If Pinnacle offers an alternative line for the game I will gladly lay 14 and 21 points.

[TomCollins]

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I'm pretty sure that Ohio States defense is much better than USC's, and Texas still managed to beat them. They haven't seen an offense as good as USC, but USC hasn't seen a defense close to as good as Texas. I see a lot of value in Texas, 7 points is just too much. Comparing to last year's national title game, SC this year isn't as good as SC last year, especially on D. Fresno and ND showed that their D can give up points, and Texas's offense is better than both of those. I look for a high scoring game, with turnovers deciding the game. In no way do I think a 20 point USC victory is likely.

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If OSU's offense at that point was even halfway between then and USC's, OSU wins that game by 20 points. OSU's offense at that point was virtually non-existent, and the mistakes made by VY and others against a tough defense nearly cost them the game, except the Bucks couldn't capitalize. Now if Texas doesn't play their 2nd worst game of the season, it might be another story.

Is it safe to say that USC is the 2nd best defense that Texas will face this year?

[TomCollins]

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With these offenses it is still possible one team wins by 17 or more, but if you play it 100 times I think most of them will be absolutely great games.

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That team being USC of course.