Texas vs. Southern Cal in the Rose Bowl for the national championship. Think of the story lines. USC seeks an unprecedented third consecutive national title and a 35-game winning streak. Texas quarterback Vince Young returns to the field that launched him into the 2005 Heisman Trophy hunt.
If you read the preseason magazines splashed all over the newsstands, that’s the predicted scenario. Taking five prominent magazines – Sports Illustrated, The Sporting News, Street & Smith’s, CBSSportsLine.com and Phil Steele’s College Football – USC and Texas are the consensus favorites to meet for the national title.
Using 10 points for a first, 9 for a second, etc., Texas had 37 points, with Tennessee third at 31. USC, as expected, was a unanimous No. 1 with 50 points.
The Longhorns were No. 2 in the USA Today’s coaches poll and could be No. 2 in The Associated Press media poll to be released Aug. 20. The AP poll has no part in the Bowl Championship Series formula, but it could add more credibility to the most preseason hype the Longhorns have received since the AP ranked them No. 2 before the 1970 season.
There is a caveat, however, and we all know what it is. As Street & Smith’s begins, “If anyone else in our top 10 had the Longhorns’ talent, they would be in the top two. But Texas’ track record in big games under Mack Brown begs skepticism.”
The big games start early, too.
Take college football’s entire regular season and the biggest game on the board, right now, is Texas at Ohio State on Sept. 10. The Buckeyes, No. 7 according to the preseason mags’ combined poll, probably have the best back seven in the nation and face Young, who rumbled through Michigan, Ohio State’s archrival, for 192 rushing yards and four touchdowns in the Rose Bowl, which Texas won 38-37.
Four weeks after the Ohio State game, Brown gets a shot at beating Oklahoma for the first time in six years. Not that he had any excuse the first five – he has consistently had among the best recruiting classes in the nation – but this season Texas should be favored over the Sooners if it wins in Columbus.
Texas may have the best front seven in the country, and Oklahoma must break in a new quarterback plus replace three starters on the defensive line.
And one slip could cost Texas a Rose Bowl slot. The spot opposite USC could be a wild scramble. Others picked second are Tennessee (Sporting News), Louisiana State (Phil Steele’s) and Iowa (CBSSportsLine.com).
Will there be any scramble for No. 1?
Look at USC’s schedule and find a potential trap game. The preseason mags point to a visit to Oregon on Sept. 24, but the Ducks’ highest preseason ranking is 22nd. In fact, USC is the only Pac-10 school listed in the top 25 of all five magazines.
Still, California’s probable new quarterback, Joseph Ayoob, will have nine games under QB wizard Jeff Tedford when USC goes to Berkeley on Nov. 12. And who knows what magic new coach Charlie Weis will weave by the time Notre Dame hosts the Trojans on Oct. 15.
With USC trying to replace three defensive All-Americans and break in two young offensive coordinators, the Trojans may not be the lock the magazines claim.
Still, put your money on USC. Not Texas.
Footnotes
Fun ‘N’ Gun? New South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier already has run off six players recruited by predecessor Lou Holtz, then sent explanatory letters to the state’s high school coaches’ association, which called the move “unethical.” … The bizarre loss of quarterback Wyatt Sexton to Lyme disease has left Florida State coach Bobby Bowden rotating his remaining scholarship quarterbacks: Drew Weatherford and Xavier Lee, both redshirt freshmen. Weatherford is the only one who has taken a college snap – and he was injured for the season on that play. … Think Michigan is stacked at tailback? Besides sophomore Mike Hart, who led the Big Ten in rushing as a freshman with 1,455 yards, also looking good in camp is true freshman Kevin Grady, who set the all-time Michigan prep rushing mark with 8,431 yards at East Grand Rapids High School.
John Henderson can be reached at 303-820-1299 or jhenderson@denverpost.com.
