USC has a new nemesis: Boise State.
USC has the longest winnning streak in college football. Except for Boise State.
USC would have played in the Sugar Bowl last season, but for the outcome of the very last regular season football game of the season. The winning team in that game: Boise State. Its narrow victory over Hawaii (which USC had beaten earlier in the year), nicked the Trojan streak of schedule just enough to drop them below LSU in the BCS standings.
This year, while strength of schedule is not as important as it once was, Boise State just nicked USC's SOS again by beating previous USC opponent BYU. Not that it was Boise State's doing, though.
BYU held the Broncos on a late 2-point conversion, then drove down to the Boise State 20 yard line to set up for the game winning field goal. They moved the line of scrimmage right to the middle of the field and set up their kicker (6-6 in previous FGA on the season) for a 38 yard attempt. It missed badly to the left with about 20 seconds to go in the game. Maybe they should have stayed at the right hash mark.
Anyway, this sets up a tremendous matchup on October 23, when Boise State meats Fresno State in a game that could, believe it or not, decide one of the at-large bids to a BCS bowl. Maybe even the Rose Bowl.
I don't know who to root for in that one. I'm no Bulldog fan. As much as I appreciate the Bruin-throttling they dished out in last year's Silicon Valley Classic, I'm still mad about the 1992 Freedom Bowl.
Boise State isn't the only school to deal USC's SOS a blow by watching their opponent choke a last second game winning field goal attempt. This morning, NC State beat Virginia Tech 17-16 when Tech's kicker sent one wide right with no time remaining.
If Virginia Tech doesn't knock off West Virginia next week, I think West Virginia is going to end up in the Orange Bowl against USC. If so, USC will be the Pac-10's first BCS Champion.
But first, USC needs to beat Stanford and its stupid tree.
The rise of Boise State is the most compelling story over the past two seasons. The win streak plus continued USC-like effects will eventually force NCAA College Football to recognize this new powerhouse.
Posted by: Froman | October 18, 2004 at 10:54