[Mick]

It was also interesting to note yesterday that the USC-UCLA game had no Pac-12 consequences.  None.  Back in my dim, distant youth, the battle for LA was often the highlight of the Pac-8 season and regularly had conference ramifications.  Yesterday, we saw a bowl-ineligible Bruin team do just enough right to keep a struggling Trojan squad from reaching bowl eligibility.  Notre Dame will likely seal USC's fate next Saturday and keep both of these schools out of the post-season.  When was the last time that happened?  Technically, it happened in 2010 when USC (8-5) was ineligible for the post-season and UCLA (4-8) simply did not have enough wins.  But the last time both teams failed to get a bowl bid based on regular season performance was back in 1999, when USC finished 6-6 and UCLA 4-7.  I guess back then they had far fewer bowls; and 6-6 teams were not a lock for the post-season.  Stanford won the Pac-10 that year and lost to #4 Wisconsin 19-7 in the Rose Bowl.

I remember USC won the national championship 5 times during my teenage years in the 1970s...then didn't have another one for 23 years, in 2002.  UCLA had Prothro, Pepper Rodgers, Dick Vermeil and Terry Donahue in the 1970s, all with significant winning records.

[Mick]

It was also interesting to note yesterday that the USC-UCLA game had no Pac-12 consequences.  None.  Back in my dim, distant youth, the battle for LA was often the highlight of the Pac-8 season and regularly had conference ramifications.  Yesterday, we saw a bowl-ineligible Bruin team do just enough right to keep a struggling Trojan squad from reaching bowl eligibility.  Notre Dame will likely seal USC's fate next Saturday and keep both of these schools out of the post-season.  When was the last time that happened?  Technically, it happened in 2010 when USC (8-5) was ineligible for the post-season and UCLA (4-8) simply did not have enough wins.  But the last time both teams failed to get a bowl bid based on regular season performance was back in 1999, when USC finished 6-6 and UCLA 4-7.  I guess back then they had far fewer bowls; and 6-6 teams were not a lock for the post-season.  Stanford won the Pac-10 that year and lost to #4 Wisconsin 19-7 in the Rose Bowl.

I remember USC won the national championship 5 times during my teenage years in the 1970s...then didn't have another one for 23 years, in 2002.  UCLA had Prothro, Pepper Rodgers, Dick Vermeil and Terry Donahue in the 1970s, all with significant winning records.