Trojans come up Roses... again...

And in the beauty pageant called College Football, roses won't win you the crown. USC jumped out to a 31-7 halftime lead against Penn State and coasted to a 38-24 win. Mark Sanchez was almost perfect, going 28-35 for 413 yards and 4 TD, and also rushed for another touchdown. But with the other contenders winning, Utah defeating Alabama, Texas edging Ohio State, and Florida winning the BCS national championship over Oklahoma, the Trojans again fall short in their quest to return to the championship pedistal. In the past two years, it seemed like USC's late losses hurt their chances to make the BCS title game; a loss to UCLA in the season finale in 2006 and being upset by Stanford in 2007. But even finishing the season on a ten game win streak, tied for second with Florida behind Utah, it wasn't enough for USC to climb over the Big 12 South and SEC schools due to the perceived weakness of the Pac-10. Oh well. Real quick look at my final top 25 of the 2008 college football season:

1. Florida (13-1); beat Oklahoma in BCS Championship Game
2. Utah (13-0); beat Alabama in Sugar Bowl
   
3. USC (12-1); beat Penn State in Rose Bowl
   
4. Texas (12-1); beat Ohio State in Fiesta Bowl
   
5. Oklahoma (12-2); lost to Florida in BCS Championship Game
   
6. TCU (11-2); beat Boise State in Poinsettia Bowl
   
7. Alabama (12-2); lost to Utah in Sugar Bowl
   
8. Georgia (10-3); beat Michigan State in Capitol One Bowl
9. Oregon (10-3); beat Oklahoma State in Holiday Bowl
10. Penn State (11-2); lost to USC in Rose Bowl
11. Ohio State (10-3); lost to Texas in Fiesta Bowl
12. Boise State (12-1); lost to TCU in Poinsettia Bowl
    
13. Mississippi (9-4); beat Texas Tech in Cotton Bowl
    
14. Texas Tech (11-2); lost to Mississippi in Cotton Bowl
15. Virginia Tech (10-4); beat Cincinnati in Orange Bowl
16. Oregon State (9-4); beat Pittsburgh in Sun Bowl
17. Iowa (9-4); beat South Carolina in Outback Bowl
18. Missouri (10-4); beat Northwestern in Alamo Bowl
19. Cincinnati (11-3); lost to Virginia Tech in Orange Bowl
20. Oklahoma State (9-4); lost to Oregon in Holiday Bowl
21. Pittsburgh (9-4); lost to Oregon State in Sun Bowl
22. BYU (10-3); lost to Arizona in Las Vegas Bowl
23. Florida State (9-4); beat Wisconsin in Champs Sports Bowl
24. West Virginia (9-4); beat North Carolina in Meineke Car Care Bowl
25. California (9-4); beat Miami (Florida) in Emerald Bowl