| I've always believed that the number zero is | | | | 21-game Pac-10 winning streak. Cal was the |
| extremely defining! In the world of sports, | | | | last team to beat USC, 34-31 in triple-OT |
| as in real estate, it's all about "location, | | | | back in 2003. Cal almost beat the Trojans |
| location and location!" A zero in the | | | | last year in Los Angeles losing 23-17 and in |
| right-hand column of the won-loss standings | | | | 2003, losing 30-28. Adding some more drama to |
| is a very good thing, while one in the | | | | the mix, a USC win will tie Cal's Pac-10 |
| left-hand column, is not so good!As college | | | | record winning streak of 22 straight, set |
| football enters its stretch run, anyone | | | | from 1947-50. USC is an 18 1/2-point favorite |
| remotely associated with the game is well | | | | and will close the year with home games |
| aware that USC, Texas and Alabama (listed in | | | | against Fresno State and UCLA (Trojans have |
| order of the team's BCS rankings), remain the | | | | won 25 straight in the Coliseum).Texas, the |
| nation's lone unbeaten teams. However, there | | | | nation's No. 2 team, goes for its 17th |
| a few other teams with a zero in that | | | | straight win this Saturday in Austin against |
| right-hand column, when it comes to | | | | Kansas. While both Texas and USC have won |
| conference standings.West Virginia of the Big | | | | games by similar margins, Texas outscores its |
| East, easily took care of Cincinnati on | | | | opponents 48.3-14.3 with USC outscoring its |
| Wednesday night, moving to 5-0 in league | | | | opponents by an average of 49.9-20.6, the |
| play. The Mountaineers still have games | | | | Longhorns are 8-1 ATS while the Trojans are |
| remaining on November 24 versus Pittsburgh | | | | just 4-5! Texas is a 33-point favorite over |
| (in Morgantown) and on December 3 at South | | | | Kansas and finishes its regular season with a |
| Florida. The Mountaineers had the Big East | | | | visit to College Station, where the Longhorns |
| title in their grasp last year but lost at | | | | face the disappointing Aggies. The likely |
| home to Boston College 36-17 and at | | | | opponent for Texas in the Big-12 title games |
| Pittsburgh (16-13), to finish the year. This | | | | is Colorado, a team the Longhorns beat in |
| year's team shows no signs of imploding but | | | | Austin 42-17, back on October 15.While few |
| one never knowsTCU has already clinched the | | | | think either USC or Texas will stumble down |
| MWC title, in its first year in the league. | | | | the stretch, the nation's No. 3 team, Alabama |
| The Horned Frogs easily dispatched of | | | | (but just 3-6 ATS), finds itself a home 'dog' |
| Colorado State last Saturday (33-6), | | | | (plus-3) this Saturday to No. 5 LSU. Since |
| clinching the school's first outright | | | | losing WR Tyrone Protho, the Tide have scored |
| conference title since winning the SWC crown | | | | just ONE TD in their last three SEC games. |
| in 1958. At 7-0 in the MWC, the Horned Frogs | | | | However, Alabama owns the nation's |
| (29-point favorites!) need only beat UNLV in | | | | No.1-ranked scoring defense (8.2 PPG) and |
| Fort Worth on Saturday, to finish at 10-1 | | | | shouldn't be counted out of any game. If |
| overall and 8-0 in league play. Ironically, | | | | Alabama escapes against LSU, the Tide play |
| the team's only loss in 2005 came against an | | | | Auburn in the "Iron Bowl" on December 19 in |
| old SWC rival, SMU. Just one week after | | | | Auburn. Alabama's likely SEC title game |
| opening the season by winning 17-10 in Norman | | | | opponent (if the team makes it that far) is |
| versus the Sooners (as almost four-TD | | | | either Georgia or Florida.The SEC saw Auburn |
| underdogs), TCU lost 21-10 at SMU, a team | | | | go 12-0 last year but get left out of the BCS |
| that is just 3-6 on the year.At least one of | | | | title game and it seems likely that Alabama |
| college football's seven remaining conference | | | | could finish 12-0 in 2005 and also get left |
| unbeatens HAS to lose this weekend. Boise | | | | out. USC increased its lead over Texas in the |
| State and Fresno State of the WAC (both 5-0), | | | | latest BCS standings and Texas' lead over |
| meet Thursday night on ESPN. Boise State | | | | Alabama is SUBSTANTIAL! BCS history says that |
| entered the WAC in 2001 and in that very | | | | the two teams ranked first and second in the |
| first year, ended Fresno's 17-game home | | | | initial BCS poll of the season (this year it |
| winning streak with a 35-30 victory as a | | | | was USC and Texas), have NEVER gone on to |
| 16-point underdog. After losing at La Tech | | | | meet in that year's BCS title game. However, |
| later that year, Boise began a conference | | | | USC and Texas have already made BCS history |
| winning streak that's reached 31 games! | | | | in 2005, as the same two teams have never |
| During that run, the Broncos are an | | | | before been either one or two in each of a |
| impressive 21-10 ATS.Despite the fact that | | | | season's first-four BCS standings. Maybe USC |
| Boise owns that long conference winning | | | | and Texas are destined to meet in |
| streak and have beaten Fresno in all four | | | | Pasadena?LOVABLE LOSERSI can't close without |
| meetings since joining the conference | | | | listing the winless teams, the ones with the |
| (winning by an average score of 41-21 and | | | | zero in the wrong location! Temple is 0-10 |
| goings 4-0 ATS), the Bulldogs are solid | | | | (4-6 ATS) in 2005 but gets the week off |
| favorites (more than a TD) in Thursday's | | | | before closing its season December 19 at |
| game. Fresno State is surely no slouch, as | | | | Navy. New Mexico State is 0-9 (2-7 ATS) and |
| the Bulldogs are 38-5 SU at home since 1998 | | | | is home to Nevada, where the Aggies are 9 1 |
| and enter their showdown with the Broncos at | | | | 2-point underdogs. Buffalo, also 0-9 (5-4 |
| 7-1 (only loss at 8-1 Oregon, 37-34) and | | | | ATS!) is at Kent State and the Bulls may |
| ranked No. 20 in the AP (current BCS ranking | | | | actually have a chance. The not-so Golden |
| is 22).The winner of Thursday's showdown will | | | | Flashes are just 1-8 themselves in 2005 but |
| likely win-out the rest of the way in | | | | are favored by about a TD. Note: Buffalo also |
| conference-play but it's no 'lock.' Boise | | | | owns the nation's longest current road losing |
| gets an easy game at home versus Idaho but | | | | streak with 22 straight losses.Rice (0-8 SU |
| must play at La Tech (7-1 SU at home since | | | | and 1-7 ATS) in 2005 and owners of the |
| 2004). As for Fresno, after traveling to USC | | | | nation's longest current losing streak at 14, |
| on December 19 for a non-conference game, the | | | | plays its Homecoming game this week against |
| Bulldogs must go to Reno, where Nevada has | | | | 2-6 Tulane. The Owls are actually a ONE-POINT |
| gone 9-2 SU and ATS in its last 11 home | | | | favorite! Could it be? By the way, including |
| games. Fresno finishes the season with a game | | | | Buffalo, New Mexico State and Rice (Temple is |
| against La Tech at home.Getting back to the | | | | playing this year as in Independent), there |
| nation's top-three teams, USC faces the one | | | | are still 13 schools which are still winless |
| school that's given them the most trouble the | | | | in conference play entering this weekend's |
| last few years. USC takes a 31-game winning | | | | action.Larry Ness is a documented member of |
| streak into its game at Cal this Saturday, as | | | | the Professional Handicappers League. |
| well as a 14-game road winning streak and a | | | | |