Wednesday, August 30, 2006

It’s more fun when USC is No. 1 … sort of

I have an old USC button from the 70s that reads: “It’s more fun when we’re No. 1.”

As a true Trojan, can you think of any greater truth than that? I don’t think so …

From the 2004 Rose Bowl, when we beat Michigan to claim our AP national title … to the ear-splitting 2004 BCA Kickoff Classic vs. Virginia Tech … to the 2005 Orange Bowl pasting of the Boomer Schooner … to 4th-and-9 and the Bush Push in South Bend … to seven in a row vs. ugla … all the way up to 19 seconds left in the 2006 Rose Bowl … it was indeed historically more fun being No. 1.

But, according to some MIT nerd, the fun isn’t over yet. We are, in fact (and I use that term loosely), heading into the 2006 football season as the No. 1 team in the nation, according Jeff Sagarin. [Note: If you're reading this after the start of the season, the rankings on Sagarin's site may have changed.]

Who is Jeff Sagarin? Like I said, he’s an MIT nerd. But, he isn’t just any nerd. He’s the guy who created one of the first algorithms for computerized rankings, which as we know, eventually led the suits to create the BCS.

It’s ridiculous, no doubt. But, we can give this nerd a break and enjoy his No. 1 ranking for now, as we work our way back to the real thing.


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