USC getting little credit for tough schedule

USC getting little credit for tough schedule
By: Jonathan Hood

One question.

How much are road wins against Ohio State, California and Notre Dame worth these days?

I’m sure that’s what USC coach Pete Carroll is wondering after the first edition of the BCS rankings came out Sunday and was ranked as the 7th best team in college football.

If nothing else they should be #4.

USC’s only loss was to the Washington Huskies 16-13. An emotional game for Carroll as he faced his former offensive coordinator, now Huskies head coach Steve Sarkisian. No excuses, USC should have defeated that team and came up short.

The biggest question in my mind is, does the loss to Washington supersede the quality wins on the road?

There is no way that everyone’s favorite Boise State deserves a #4 ranking in the BCS. I respect Boise State’s program. I believe head coach Chris Petersen has done a terrific job with this team. However, I ask you, who have they played and who have they beaten? That is my question every college football season since Boise State’s incredible victory over Oklahoma in Glendale, Arizona in 2007 at the Fiesta Bowl.

Does Boise State deserve the #4 spot in the rankings based on their quality wins against UC Davis, Fresno State, Oregon, Bowling Green, Tulsa and Miami of Ohio?

And before you tell me, that they can’t help the fact that the rest of the WAC conference is substandard, I say they have to earn their respect against a highly ranked team, just once. I won’t even use the TCU loss on December 23, 2008, as an example of Boise State’s inability to play against an above average team. I mean I want Boise State to be unafraid to play BCS caliber opponents-even on the road during the regular season.

More than likely, Alabama, Florida, Texas, maybe even USC would be afraid to play on Boise State’s blue turf, but it is good to see Virginia Tech taking the challenge in 2010.

To earn respect you have to play the big boys and get away from the soft comfy Western Athletic Conference.
USC deserves Boise State’s slot as it stands today. It’s good to see some programs in college football are willing to risk their season by testing their team on the road.