Time off good for USC

USC was idle Saturday. The Trojans conclude their regular season next week against Oregon State. Since the Beavers haven't beaten the Trojans in the Coliseum since Eisenhower was President (Sept. 16, 1960), and since USC is very, very good and Oregon State is very, very average, the odds are USC will prevail and finish with an 11-1 record.

Still, entering the weekend, there was some thought that Louisiana State, slightly behind the Trojans in the BCS standings and the polls, might catch them.

And when LSU rolled past Arkansas Friday, 55-24, concerns among USC backers increased. But in order to make the leap, LSU needed some help.

The Tigers got just the opposite. They needed Kentucky to beat Tennessee Saturday. Sorry, it was Tennessee 20, Kentucky 7.

Other factors kicked in that put LSU in the Southeastern Conference title game against Georgia. But that wasn't good for the Tigers, since one of the factors in the BCS is strength of schedule and records of opponents and opponents' opponents.

Having Georgia in the title game does not help LSU since the Tigers already have beaten the Dawgs. Another victory over Georgia would diminish the Tigers in the strength of schedule category, since Georgia would be pinned with another loss.

There were other things that hurt the Tigers and helped the Trojans. Hawaii beat Alabama, 37-29, which hurt LSU since the Tigers also beat Alabama, whose status dropped considerably. And USC beat Hawaii.

Another factor was Rice beating Louisiana Tech. Again that hurt LSU, since the Tigers beat Louisiana Tech earlier this season.

The bottom line is simple. LSU's only realistic chance of getting into the BCS title game in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans Jan. 4 seems to be an Oregon State upset of USC Saturday.

As for Solich, it's a matter of perspective. He was fired Saturday, even though the Huskers beat Colorado, 31-22, Friday to finish a 9-3 regular season.

That wasn't good enough, according to Nebraska athletic director Steve Pederson. "I refuse to let this program gravitate towards mediocrity," said Pederson. Hmmm. In six years at Nebraska, Solich was 58-19 and twice was named Big 12 Coach of the Year. Mediocrity?

Texas, which has yet to win a Big 12 title but finished with a 10-2 record after pounding Texas A&M, 46-15, Friday, is 59-16 under Mack Brown. Under Pederson's criteria, Brown's team probably would need to win its BCS bowl game or his job would be in jeopardy.

Orange crush

With Miami's win over Pittsburgh Saturday night, the Canes won the Big East title and a probable spot in the Orange Bowl. Early speculation has Miami playing Ohio State. But that may not be a lock if LSU loses to Georgia in the SEC title game. If that happens, the Fiesta Bowl might switch to Texas as its first pick and match the Longhorns against Ohio State. That would cause a ripple effect that could lead to a Miami-Florida State rematch in the Orange. That would cause a huge uproar in the Orange Bowl, since Florida State and Miami open the season against each other next season in an Atlantic Coast Conference game. Stay tuned . . . The Big East bowl slots are now set, with Miami going to the BCS and almost certainly the Orange, West Virginia to the Gator, Virginia Tech to the Insight, Pittsburgh the Continental Tire, and BC to San Francisco . . . And then there was this gem Saturday, courtesy of Notre Dame coach Tyrone Willingham. The Irish were in the final five minutes of a game at Stanford and leading, 57-7. It was fourth down at midfield for Notre Dame. The call? A fake punt. Willingham's explanation? "That was a call on our part," said Willingham, who came to Notre Dame from Stanford and apparently has issues with the Cardinal. "Stanford was lined up defensively in a way that caused us to try the fake punt. You don't like to do that. But when they put all of their guys up there in the box to try and block the kick, you've got to make the play." Please! What he should have done is call a timeout and try to get the first down. If the team didn't get it, oh well, it has to give up the ball at midfield. Or he should have tried to get the punt off against tough odds. But a fake punt with a 50-point lead and fewer than five minutes left? Ah, yes, sportsmanship and class are alive at Notre Dame.

Material from wire services were used in compiling this report.