You and I share similar views I think yiu know that. With that said though it's likely the polls well reflect the top two to four teams because there is usually a general consensus on that regardless of the poll name. If there's a really oddity in tge ranking it's usually only one team and it's rarely a huge difference in the ranking .. most years polls will agree in the top teams just maybe not the specific number however rarely is there the big outlier at the top that didn't belong. For those who aren't aware of my position I'll clarify. USC to me is one of the greatest programs ever. They deserve a claim in 2003 as much as we do because they got shafted by the BCS system the same way had LSU been the team left out of the title game. OU is the problem not USC imo.. Now, I do think had USC made it the AP very well might have voted them number one and not us and left us out in the cold which is my problem with the AP. They loved the glitz and LSU was seen as badly inferior despite the fact I think we'd have shut them down with our defense. The SEC back then was viewed very differently USC got the SEC benefit of the doubt back then whereas we and later Auburn did not. . USC gets taken to task really imo for OU and The AP Poll's transgressions.. I would claim the 2003 title had we faced Michigan in the Rose and won and had ufc beaten OU in the Sugar. Just cause we all agreed to a terrible system didn't mean we should bury our head in the proverbial sand cause it just so happened to work out in our favor but was still terribly flawed in the process.. I do think it was Pete Carroll's job to promote USC and their claim the same way Les promoted LSU as undefeated in regulation in 2007.. I'm not looking to debate this. Just wanted to state my perspective for context purposes.
This is why the SEC is so coveted. It is the only real championship that is decided on the field. It is obvious that the best teams are in the SEC and winning that crown means something. The national championship will always be someone's opinion unless they come up with a true playoff like the No Fun League. Take all the conference champions and let them play for the crown, then no one gets left out. If you want a national title, then win your conference. If you can't win at home you shouldn't be playing for the NC.
Credit for being "one of the greatest programs ever" is the problem with the AP poll. They credited USC with a historical heritage that was not won on the field. Auburn has an even more legitimate claim in 2004. With a 2-team championship, there will always be a #3 team that felt it was left out, but them is the breaks. They should have played a tougher schedule. I guarantee that with a four-team playoff, the #5 team will scream bloody murder. Them is the breaks. The whole idea of a championship game is to name a Champion.
Sure they did! It cost them a lot of points. But not enough to drop them to number three. USC paid the price for not playing a conference championship game. Their 11-1 record and easier schedule did not match the 12-1 records of LSU and Oklahoma. Strength of Schedule matters. Putting your record up in a Conference Championship Game matters. Oklahoma had been number one all season long in the polls and rankings until that loss including the AP poll. The AP moved USC to #1 for one week and then USC felt entitled to the position. Of the 11 final polls and rankings included in the BCS formula, LSU was #1 in NINE, Southern California was #1 in TWO.
TigerTap liking a post in this forum which includes the statement "USC is one of the greatest programs ever" explains alot.
