The Trojans Make Their Move!


By Steve Harvey
Bottom Ten Travel Editor

Colleges

A TV promo during the Trojans' game with Washington State uttered this slogan: "The University of Southern California_Anything is possible."

Even losing to Washington State, evidently. At home.

USC, with no pass completions longer than 19 yards in its first two games, moved up to No. 3 in the Bottom Ten rankings. During a post-game interview, Lane Kiffin, the increasingly secretive USC coach, declined to confirm that he was Lane Kiffin.

Hawaii (0-2), which somehow found a way to lose to USC in its opener, took over the BT lead by default, if not defense.

As for last week's leader, Purdon't did. The school was ejected from the Bottom Ten for winning a game.

Wreck, Record............... Last Loss........................ Next Loss
1. Hawaii (0-2)................ 14-33, Oregon St.............. Idle
2. Syracuse (0-2).............. 27-48, Northwestern......... Wagner
3. USC (1-1)...................... 7-10, Washington St....... B.C.*
4. San Diego St (0-2)......... 7-42, Ohio State...............Oregon St
5. Iowa St (0-1) .................Idle................................... Iowa
6. Pitt (0-1)........................ Idle................................... New Mexico
7. Cal (1-1) ........................Def. Portland St, 30-27.... Ohio St
8. New Mexico St (0-2).... 21-44, Minnehaha ............UTEP
9. Idaho (0-2) ....................10-42, Wyoming ..............N Ill
10. Miami (O) (0-2) ............7-41, Kentucky (Ky)...... Cincinnati (O)

11. UN (Las Wages) (0-2); 12. South Florida (0-2); 13. Temple (0-2); 14. Vanishing Buffalo (0-2); 15. Akron (1-1); 16. Florida (1-1); 17. None receiving votes; 18. Notre Dame (1-1); 19. Texas (1-1); 20. Oklahoma State (dozens of forfeitures pending).

*Not the comic strip.

Rout of the Week: Ohio State (2-0) over Cal (1-1).

Crummy Game of the Week: Iowa State (0-1) vs. Iowa (1-1).

Quotebook: It's a bad sign when radio broadcasters on ESPN (AM-710), the "official radio home of the Trojans," start questioning Lane Kiffin's coaching during the pregame show.  Before the Washington State debacle, analyst Harvey Hyde said Kiffin's idea of alternating his two young quarterbacks had left both "burned out."

How to Fire Up a Team (the Opposing Team):  Explaining before this year's game why Notre Dame canceled its series with Michigan, ND coach Brian Kelly said he hadn't "seen it as one of the historical, traditional Notre Dame rivalries." Obscure little Michigan won, 41-30.

Pros 

Since Super Bowl champions rarely repeat, Baltimore obviously decided to throw in the towel this season, letting several veterans go, including safety Ed Reed. Fortunately the Ravins have the necessary manpower for the Bottom Ten, which they currently lead.

Right behind are the San Diego Chargers, who showed they can blow a 28-7 lead even when Norv Turner is not the coach.

The NJ. Giants came in at No. 3 on the advice of coach Tom Coughlin, who branded their early  fumble/interception festival "the worst half of football" he had ever seen.

Of course, Coughlin didn't see the first halves of Jacksonville (which trailed K.C., 21-2) or the Pitts (who trailed Tennessee, 7-2). (Deuces were wild, as Vin Scully might say.) In the Pitts' defense, all signs point to a Super Bowl matchup this season between undefeateds Tennessee and St. Louis.

The rankled:

Wreck, Record ..........Last Loss................ Next Loss

1. Baltimore (0-1)..... 27-49, Denver......... Cleveland
2. San Diego (0-1).... 28-31, Houston....... Philadelphia
3. N.J. Giants (0-1)... 31-36, Dallas ...........Denver
4. Jacksonville (0-1)... 2-28, K.C. ..............Oakland
5. The Pitts (0-1)........ 9-16, Tennessee..... Cincinnati
6. Atlanta (0-1);   7. Green Bay (0-1);  8. Cleveland (0-1); 9. AFC North (0-4); 10. The current replacements for the Replacement Refs.

Crummy Monday Night Game of Week: The Pitts (0-1) at Bungles (0-1).