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