Here's an interesting atricle for those who didnt see it, as to why USC are playing the dogs.
My question is.. Do you mean to tell me that USC isnt ducking Fresno state?? I guess their schedule has been full for 13 years!?!
Two, why did it take asking 35 schools like the article says, when you knew damn well FRESNO WANTED YOU!? I just have to wonder if this game happens if USC is 9-4 last year...hmmmmmm. I dont give em too much credit!

2. Why is USC playing Fresno State this late in the season?

It's rivalry weekend, and the Trojans are playing … the Bulldogs? A team not even in the Pac-10? A team that's not only perennially good, but this-year good?

I know what you're thinking because it's what I'm thinking: USC coach Pete Carroll is willing to take on all comers. Fresno State's motto is, "Anybody, anytime, anywhere." USC got tired of Fresno State saying, "What are you, scared?"

That's not what happened -- well, maybe Carroll and everyone else at USC got tired of Fresno State calling every 15 minutes asking for a game -- but the Trojans agreed to play because, well, there wasn't anyone else.

First, you have to understand USC's nonconference scheduling philosophy: one Notre Dame, one game against a team big enough to demand a home game in return and one store-bought home game.

The Trojans had the Irish this season. They had Arkansas, with a return trip set for next September. And they had, well, until late February, no one.

In the 2001 USC media guide, the 2005 schedule listed Temple. The Owls fit the profile. They would come to Los Angeles without a return game. But Temple, perhaps coming to its senses, dropped out. And go figure, Trojans couldn't find anyone who wanted to travel across the country to play a team that has won 32 consecutive games.

They didn't know that last winter. USC had won only 23 consecutive games. But you get the point.

"We talked to probably 35 schools," USC associate athletic director Steve Lopes said. "At that point, everyone is filled."

USC had some flexibility, however, precisely because it isn't playing UCLA this week. The Trojans also had an off week Sept. 10. When ABC coaxed the Trojans and Bruins into moving their game to Dec. 3, USC acquired two more off weeks.

"Fresno had been calling Darryl [Gross, the former No. 2 at USC, now the Syracuse athletic director], and calling me," Lopes said. "We knew they had an opening, and we knew they wanted to play us."

Fresno State didn't have anyone bail out on it. In recent years, Fresno State played at Oklahoma and at Tennessee without a home game in return because Texas Tech and Oklahoma State bought themselves out of fulfilling the "and home" part of home-and-home deals.

The Bulldogs kept trying to find a game. They didn't want to add a second I-AA opponent. Once this game became a possibility, school officials asked the Western Athletic Conference and ESPN to keep Nov. 19 open for a possible USC game.

And now it's here. One of the best games on rivalry weekend will match two teams that have never played one another in the regular season.

IN this type of game, USC has nothing to really gain and everything to lose. They lose to Fresno St, then their chances of playing for a national championship go out the window and will be fighting for a BCS bowl bid instead of national championship.

Fresno meanwhile, has everything to gain. They win and its a huge upset getting Fresno possibly to a bigger bowl game and getting recongintion while if they lose, they don't lose anything as everyone expected them to lose.

I found it interesting that in this article it said that Texas Tech and Oklahoma State bought out thier return games at Fresno State. Those two school did the same thing with Utah State in the late 90's. Maybe some AD's should put out the word that a home and home with Texas Tech and Oklahoma State will not come to your place and make it a little harder for those two to schedule WAC and similar level teams.

wolf pack 1 Wrote:They lose to Fresno St, then their chances of playing for a national championship go out the window and will be fighting for a BCS bowl bid instead of national championship.

Not so fast...

Remember OU in 2003? I can see USC and all the media hype only slipping to number 2 and still playing for the NC. As sad as it would be, I could see it.

By the way, I told my class today that they shouldn't be surprised if FSU gives USC all they can handle. Go dogs...shock them Trojans.

I slightly disagree, Wolf Pack 1, with your point that Fresno has nothing to lose. As BSU unfortunately demonstrated in its complete breakdown in Georgia, Fresno could lose a lot. BSU lost a ton of national respect and pretty much destroyed the psyche of the team this year. They have never fully recovered.

Fresno really needs to play a solid game and avoid the devastation that befell BSU.

My thoughts,

DCBronc

NavyBlueUSU Wrote:I found it interesting that in this article it said that Texas Tech and Oklahoma State bought out thier return games at Fresno State. Those two school did the same thing with Utah State in the late 90's. Maybe some AD's should put out the word that a home and home with Texas Tech and Oklahoma State will not come to your place and make it a little harder for those two to schedule WAC and similar level teams.

We got a home and home with Texas Tech, and they're coming here first. Don't know whether to give credit to our AD for this, or feel disrespected in that Tech is so confident that a game vs. UTEP would be a cakewalk here or there.

I'm a homer, so I'll give credit to Bob Stull.

BTW, Go Fresno!

DC,

Fresno has more to lose against USC than ya'll had to lose against Georgia. USC and Fresno recruit the same areas. Luckily(for Boise), they don't really have any in-state recruiting competition. I'd guess there nearest thing to tough recruiting comp. they have is Oregon...especially since the Washington Pac-10 teams have been so weak.

The Bulldogs aren't simply pint-sized kids trying to incite school bullies with no regard to consequence. They know a poor performance against the Trojans could result in a swift kick down the polls and off the transient media radar.

"There's a lot on the table for both teams," Hill said. "I hear a lot of people say to me, 'Well, you've got nothing to lose in this one.' We've got plenty to lose in this one. We've got a lot to gain, but we've got a lot to lose, too."

The Fresno State players espouse their coach's confidence, but they also echo his sense of perspective.

"We've worked for a lot so far this season," senior DE Garrett McIntyre said. "Even though they're the best team right now, if we do lose to them, we'll probably drop down [in the polls]. A loss is a loss, no matter what. Any loss, you're going to lose something."


...alot at stake, if its a blowout then nobody will take us serious next year for a long time. We'll lose a very hard fought Top20 ranking, which could cost Fresno some Bowl options. :crying:

Quote: We got a home and home with Texas Tech, and they're coming here first. Don't know whether to give credit to our AD for this, or feel disrespected in that Tech is so confident that a game vs. UTEP would be a cakewalk here or there.

Texas Tech seems to have problems scheduling. I mean their OOC schedule this year was pathetic. I'm guessing that their reputation for humiliating/RUTSing smaller schools at home is catching up at them and no one wants to play them. (At least not when you can go to Texas or A&M and get twice the payout)

Plus Tech doesn't seem to want to schedule their old SWC friends.

We are going to see a lot of scheduling by BCS teams like Texas Tech did especially with the rule changes for counting I-AA teams on the schedule. They would rather go after a I-AA than go against a mid major team or something like that.

But Texas Tech has always scheduled a little weak in the non conference and that is why I think they don't do as well during conference.

But back to Fresno, Fresno is a better team than Boise was at the start of the season. The only thing that will do harm to Fresno is having a blowout loss and I mean by a huge margin. If they lose 60-3 I think that would hurt them. But I will still stand by my previous statement