USC’s Paper Trojans

Saturday was a monumental night in the college football world. The Oregon Ducks, left for dead on Boise's blue turf just two months ago, most likely brought an end to USC's run of Pac-10 titles with their 47-20 thrashing of the Trojans. The Ducks gashed the Trojan defense in unfathomable ways. Had the SC marching band led the team off the field, it probably would have played "The World Turned Upside Down" as the British did following their defeat at Yorktown that ended the Revolution.

But the developments of Saturday night stretch beyond this season. Considering this keystone beating and several other Pac-10 slip-ups in years past, it seems that the endeared and envied Trojan program isn't nearly the monument to football dominance that we thought it was.

Like any good rumor, it's important to find where the lie was born. So who started this rumor of Southern Cal's preeminence? I blame the Midwest, the media, and the average football fan.

Over the past half-decade or so, the Big Ten has decayed into a Midwestern monolith of mediocrity (and as an alum, that hurts me as much as anyone). While other conferences have stocked Pro Bowl rosters and excelled in bowl games, the Big Ten has slumped. Sure, Ohio State and Penn State have had their positive moments, but the conference's rank and file members have lagged. So why do a few down years from Michigan, Purdue, and Minnesota affect USC? Because the champs of the once-proud conference have been under-tested and unproven when they meet the Trojans in the Rose Bowl.

And there's another culprit in Big Ten country responsible for USC's over-inflation: Notre Dame. The matchup between the two traditional powers will always draw strong ratings. So when the Trojans have obliterated weak Irish teams in the past few seasons, the significance has been overstated. Were we as impressed when SC knocked off Virginia, Arizona, or other programs that have fluctuated between below average and consistently mediocre?

In the clarity of hindsight, it seems SC's victories against the Big Ten and Notre Dame have artificially inflated opinions of the program. This, of course, isn't the Trojans fault; they took on Ohio State twice out of conference and they can only play the competition their bowl lines up for them. However, looking back on this decade, what Trojan wins should we big impressed by? The title game win over Oklahoma tops the list, but then what?

While the sad state of Midwestern football has contributed the USC mirage, at least it was an indirect result. After all, those teams presumably were at least trying to counteract the Trojan mystique (though, at times, that presumption might have been debated). But what of those who have directly caused elevation of USC's image? It's time to hold the media and fans responsible.

There are too many aluminum-foil hat caliber conspiracy theories about SC. Some will tell you their Los Angeles market presence gets them a pass from the NCAA. Others would tell you that same locale gets them preferential treatment from their TV partners, namely ESPN/ABC. And while those factors may or may not have a small amount of relevance, there's a much more reasonable explanation to the layperson's infatuation with the Men of Troy: style.

The Trojans are like the prime rib carving station of your Saturday football buffet. Compared to the cooked-to-mush vegetables, days-old pasta, and mystery meat of other programs, USC games are much more appetizing to watch.

First, the Trojans run a pro-style offense, the endangered species of college football. You won't see the Trojans pounding variations of the triple option all day. You won't see 98 versions of screen passes or every back and receiver on the roster catching a quick slant. Instead, you'll see plays that look awfully similar to those we love on Sundays: draws and counters in the run game, legitimate posts and deep outs when they pass it. Think about the last time you watched Florida, Penn State, or Georgia Tech. How many times did the ball travel from the quarterback's hand past the edge of the original TV frame? That contrast is part of the USC intoxication.

On a related note, the Trojans recruit and produce NFL talent. Obviously, having better players makes SC more attractive, but they don't just grab headlines on the field. While Tim Tebow seems inspired by names like Luke, John, and Matthew, wasn't it more fun when Matt Leinart channeled Paris and Brynn?

And what about their leader, Pete Carroll? Carroll stands out from his collegiate peers not only for his record of success, but more so for his demeanor. In a profession infested by loud-mouths, snake oil salesmen, and the vanilla-est of quotes, Carroll is refreshing. Perhaps he has the benefit of perspective from his miserable NFL experience, but nobody seems to have as much fun doing his job than the SC head coach. The Trojans employ (hmm, pun intended?) the most interesting talent in the NCAA. That infatuates us.

And this brings the point back to this column's original revelation: the 2000s USC teams have been as much about sizzle as steak, at least on the national stage. To be fair, that's part of college football. After all, this is a sport where players pick their schools based on a crude courting season called recruiting and the postseason depends on a panel of beauty pageant judges to determine which two teams are sexiest. Should we be surprised that a critical review of the sport's top program shows less substance between the lines than we've been led to believe?

So what does this mean for SC's future? In the near future, the Trojans will likely be a candidate for a BCS at large berth (I'd guess the Fiesta bowl would love to have them). And if the Trojans roll through some of their remaining games, we'll hear about their wins at Ohio State and Notre Dame and how good they've looked at times. Heck, they'll probably win that Fiesta Bowl if they end up there against TCU or Boise State. But further down the road, the cracks will show. It took centuries, but eventually Rome fell under the weight of its own grandeur and generations of gilding. It seems the Men of Troy might face the same end.