• Pac-10 is 5-0 in bowl games. Looks like USC didn’t have such an easy in-conference schedule after all
• USC is 21 for their last 22 in out of conference play with their win over Penn State – Another top Big 12 team is about to lose a bowl game (Texas Tech vs. Ole Miss). A supposed BCS championship contender losing to a middle of the pack SEC team, after Oklahoma State lost to Oregon. The Big 12 is looking much weaker than the pundits thought.
• Although the Pac-10 has gone undefeated, I will admit that the SEC has performed admirably so far. I expect Florida to win, so I put the fate of the SEC in Alabama’s hands. If Alabama can manage to win, I will claim them the best conference in the country.
• In case you didn’t notice, USC creamed another top 10 team in a bowl game. The score was at one point 31-7. Critics, give these guys the championship bid that you claim they deserve after every Rose Bowl, only to take that claim back the next season.

Oklahoma State came within 4 points of beating the Texas Longhorns, and a team that beat conference champion runner-up Missouri.

But no, the Pac-10 is terrible, and the Big 12 is superior in every way. There’s no way a ranked team from the Big 12 could lose to a team from the Pac-10.

The Pac-10, aside from playing USC, had no tough opponents. They had a pansy schedule. Without tough regular season competition, there is no way that Oregon could beat Oklahoma state, who had to play the best of the best.

And then the Oregon Ducks running game made their statement in the Holiday Bowl.

Although Oklahoma State jumped out to an early 1st quarter lead, the second half was no contest, as Oregon scored five touchdowns to Oklahoma’s two.

Suddenly, the Pac-10 doesn’t look so weak.

Look for the Pac-10 to continue their bowl dominance today in the Brut Sun Bowl as Oregon State plays #20 Pittsburgh. Also, look for some exciting Big 12 and SEC Play. Kansas is playing Minnesota, LSU fights Georgia Tech, and Vanderbilt faces off against Boston College.

Watch out for Georgia Tech to hand the SEC another major loss after their monumental upset of the Georgia Bulldogs a few weeks ago.

Here are the bowl game results thus far:

Pac – 10 Bowl Results

#17 Oregon 42, #13 Oklahoma State 31 (Pacific Life Holiday Bowl)

Cal 24, Miami 17 (Emerald Bowl)

Arizona 31 , #16 BYU 21  (Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl)

Overall Record: 3-0

vs. Top 25: 2-0

vs. SEC: (Not Scheduled)

vs. Big 12: 1-0

SEC Bowl Results

Overall Record: 0-0

vs. Top 25: 0-0

vs. Pac-10: 0-0

vs. Big 12: 0-0

Big 12 Bowl Results

#21 Mizzouri 30, #23 Northwestern 23 OT

#13 Oklahoma State 31, #17 Oregon  42

Overall Record: 1-1

vs. Top 25: 1-1

vs. Pac-10: 0-1

vs. SEC: 0-0

Still waiting on the SEC to flop big time this season.

Jacory Harris avoided throwing more than one interception to Cal’s vaunted pass defense, but a late game fumble–forced by Golden Bear senior Zach Follet– cost him an Emerald Bowl victory.

Jahvid Best didn’t help the Hurricane’s cause either, rushing for 186 yards and two touchdowns. Best saved the Golden Bears with his effort, as Cal looked outplayed by Miami for most of the game.  Miami will improve defensively over the next few years with their young squad, but yesterday’s Emerald Bowl was not their time.

After Cal’s exciting win, the Pac-10 is 2-0 in this bowl game season. If you watched the game, you noticed Jahvid Best’s explosiveness and speed. If you followed USC, you will remember that Jahvid Best ran for less than 40 yards in a 17-3 domination of Cal-Berkeley. Arizona was competitive against USC, and this was perceived as a weak game for the Trojans.

But then Arizona beats a ranked BYU, and USC’s schedule is not looking as weak as people thought it was.

The most important game for the “USC was cheated” club (of which I’m a member) is this tuesday, when the Pac-10 plays its first big conference matchup. Oregon plays Oklahoma State in what will become a very high scoring Holiday Bowl.

USC held Oregon’s strong offense in a 44-10 blowout early in the season. If Oregon beats Oklahoma State, look for rumblings from Los Angeles that their team was cheated from the BCS Championship once again.

Conference strength is nothing more than a false measuring stick. The best way to measure a team is by their out of conference schedule. The SEC has no tough out of conference schedule.

The Pac-10 gets penalized for splitting games against ranked out of conference opponents, or having close losses to those same opponents.

The SEC just lets their best team ride to the top of the national rankings with no real test outside of their incestuous selves.

This needs to end.

With that said, here is how the Pac-10 has fared so far during this bowl season (Big 12 and SEC are yet to play):

Cal 24, Miami 17 (Emerald Bowl)

Arizona 31 , BYU (16) 21  (Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl)

Overall Record: 2-0

vs. Top 25: 1-0

vs. SEC: Not Scheduled

vs. Big 12: 0-0

California boasts one of the best intercepting defenses (#3 with 23 INTs) in the nation, and also a very talented runner in Jahvid Best, who led the Pac-10 in rushing with over 125 yards per game.

Miami allows on average 146 yards rushing per game, and is too far from the higher rankings for me to count exactly where they stand. Also, their quarterbacking is reason for concern, as their quarterbacks throw just as many interceptions as they do touchdowns (19).

California excels in all the areas that are Miami’s weak points. Expect a California win, and a 2-0 bowl record for the Pac-10.

So back to the game, with a couple quick notes/observations.

• The game was originally supposed to be officiated by ACC officials. Georgia Tech screwed this one up, so USC scrambled to get some Pac-10 referees for the Trojans’ home game in the Galen Center. This probably didn’t impact the game much, but it’s an interesting fact.
• True Freshman Demar DeRozan had his second straight game scoring in the high double digits with 17 points, one shy of his career-high 18. As DeRozan continues to feel more comfortable in the college game, watch for USC to finally meet expectations.

• Lil’ Romeo (Percy Miller) did not have any time on the floor, but he certainly got time on the camera. Maybe I should thank him: he’s enough of a TV attraction to get a USC game on East Coast television.
• Taj Gibson is a beast on the boards (19 total rebounds, 15 of those defensive). He is playing amazing basketball, and is the glue to this team.
• I don’t like the Comcast Sports Network broadcasters. I had to compliment my viewing experience with Andy Samberg videos from SNL, just to keep my ears entertained. I don’t mind CSN’s Boston Celtics coverage, but the commentary from the Galen Center was just awful.

In football news, no.11 TCU plays no. 9 Boise State today. This has no Pac-10 implications, but should be an awesome game. Plus, my friend Jon goes to TCU. I love the personal connections–gives me a team to root for in what should be a heated matchup.

TCU had a great 2008 season, highlighted by a blowout of then-No.9, now No.17 (and steadily dropping after the Vegas Bowl) Brigham Young. Notable losses include Oklahoma and a nailbiter to then-No.8 Utah. That loss placed them in the Poinsettia bowl rather than the Sugar Bowl.

Boise State went undefeated, thus earning a no. 9 spot in the polls. However, their only win against a quality opponent was a 5-point victory over Oregon (oh, the Pac-10 woes).

My pick for the game, allegiances aside, is TCU. The Horned Frogs played a much tougher schedule, and is better prepared for a high-pressure game. I predict a win by around 6 points.

Throughout the season, I have argued that it was the Pac-10’s difficult non-conference schedule that made them seem weak. By splitting the number of games that they have won, the Pac-1o made themselves look worse than the incestuous SEC. The Big 12 I give some respect to. They played a few tough games outside of their conference. The SEC, however, continues to ride their reputation as a strong conference, and has yet to prove themselves in bowl play.

So now that you have the background to my argument, here’s what is really important: the stats. For the next two weeks, I will be logging a comparison of the Pac-10 versus the two “strongest” conferences in the NCAA. Hopefully, I will be proven correct in that conference strength means nothing when comparing an incestuous conference to one that actually plays difficult out-of-conference games. If I’m proven wrong, you may not hear from me for a while.

Pac – 10 Bowl Results

Arizona 31 , BYU (16) 21  (Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl)

Overall Record: 1-0

vs. Top 25: 1-0

vs. SEC: 0-0

vs. Big 12: 0-0

SEC Bowl Results

Overall Record: 0-0

vs. Top 25: 0-0

vs. Pac-10: 0-0

vs. Big 12: 0-0

Big 12 Bowl Results

Overall Record: 0-0

vs. Top 25: 0-0

vs. Pac-10: 0-0

vs. SEC: 0-0