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Am I Losing My Mind?!?

Short answer, yes. But I have to ask this question anyway: it is clear that Oregon, Stanfurd, and USC are the three best teams in the conference, but which two teams are deserving of a BCS bowl game (in this hypothetical, USC is not on probation)??? My argument is that #1 in the conference is Oregon, #2 is USC, and #3 is the 'Furd. Am I off base here?

Let's look at their records against one another: Oregon is 1-1 (def. 'Furd, losing to USC), USC is 1-1 (def. Oregon, losing to 'Furd), and Stanfurd is 1-1 (def. USC, losing to Oregon) creating a wonderful triangle at the top. HOWEVER, only one of the three games involving the top 3 was a blowout: Oregon defeating Stanfurd ON THE FARM 53-30. The other two games involving USC were nail biters and very easily could have gone either way . . . it was not out of the realm of possibility that USC defeats both Oregon and 'Furd being 2-0 (also, it wouldn't have been a shock for them to be 0-2 against those teams) and the same goes for the Ducks. Stanfurd, on the other hand, wasn't a bad call or a bone headed move away from 2-0 against USC and Oregon, the Ducks slaughtered them. They were, however, just a bad (or good) call away from being 0-2 in these games.

Now lets look at common opponents in the conference. All three teams defeated UW and Colorado handily (and all 3 will have defeated Ucla soon). Oregon and Stanfurd also defeated Wazzu and Oregon State with ease and both Stanfurd and USC defeated the Wildcats (close for Stanfurd in the 1st half and close for USC for the game). There is one other team that all three teams faced (and defeated) and that team is our wild card here: our sturdy California Golden Bears. Oregon and USC both defeated our Bears in humiliating Thursday night games on ESPN. The Big Game, while on ESPN, was not quite as humiliating. As a matter of fact, if it were not for some questionable calls, Cal could have very easily WON the 114th meeting of the rivals. The only real blemish on USC's conference schedule was the loss to Arizona State (when they were still good), a team that Oregon beat quite easily and Stanfurd did not face.

As for OOC schedule, USC and Stanfurd were 3-0 while Oregon was 2-1. USC defeated three FBS teams albeit two bad ones (Minnesota/Syracuse) and one overrated one (Notre Dame). Stanfurd also defeated three FBS teams: SJSU (basically an FCS opponent), Duke (horribly bad), and the same overrated Notre Dame squad. Now we get to Oregon, who fell to what is now the #1 team in the country and defeated a decent Nevada squad and an overmatched FCS opponent. Oregon is the only team in the top 3 that faced two teams that are now bowl eligible in their OOC schedule (#1 LSU and Nevada).

When I take all of this into account, I feel that Stanfurd is the third best team in the conference especially when one looks at the games in the second half of the season. Maybe I have no clue what I am talking about and I should just shut up, but I really think Stanfurd is overrated. What do you all think??

Be nice. You can find the original CGB team at WriteForCalifornia.com.

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