Strange things come in odd packages.

For three years we have watched USC start off sluggish only to right the ship with 2nd half adjustments that grab the win. How many of you wanted to throw yourself off a bridge when SC went down 21-0 to Oregon St.? How many of you wanted to scream at the top of your lungs to get this team a kick in the pants and turn it around. Well they did briefly in that game in Corvallis but they never seemed to get over the hump until it was too late.

Last night we saw some of the same things. Missed tackles, ineffective pressure on the QB and soft coverage in the passing lanes. All of these allowed Stanford to rack up 156 yards rushing in the first half and 17 points on the board. It looked like Corvallis all over again and once again I wanted to throw myself of the GWB and scream at the top of my lungs to make the adjustments.Thankfully, this time they figured it out.

“We came together in the second half,” senior linebacker Brian Cushing said. “We weren't down, 21-0, either.”

That was the halftime deficit in Corvallis that USC couldn't overcome. This time the Trojans fought through their struggles and forged a halftime tie that made them feel as if they had hit the restart button.

“Coming back in the second half,” junior guard Alex Parsons said, “we're thinking it's a 0-0 game.”

USC played like a different team, seizing control of the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball to remain alive for the Rose Bowl or a BCS berth.

That was missing in Corvallis but had we not had our teeth kicked in up in Corvallis we may not have have learned those lessons that helped us overcome our poor play last night. Don't get me wrong, I am still not happy about las night's first half performance but the team dug down deep and figured out what needed to be done to turn it around.

On the BCS...

I have been saying for weeks that SC was out of the BCS Title chase if for no other reason SC just didn't impress the voters with dominant performances. Nobody cares about 3 shut-outs when two of the three come against two of the worst teams in Division I. The ASU shut-out would have been more impressive had SC not struggled in the second half with 4 Mark Sanchez turnovers. The fact is SC is either going to the Rose Bowl if Oregon St. loses a game or they have a 50/50 chance of being an at-large team in the BCS if the Beavers win out.

Its easy say that if SC didn't lose in Corvallis they would control their own destiny in regards to the title chase but if SC goes to some other bowl other than the Rose or as a BCS at-large team it will once again show just how flawed the system is. Sure, props to OSU for their win in Corvallis but could you imagine a a Rose Bowl rematch with OSU and PSU?

At this point SC does not deserve a shot at the championship game, but if the BCS is about the best teams and the best match-ups then they once again need to look at how they get the best teams and best match-ups because this aint it. I get it about tradition but no one wants to see USC play tOSU in the RB anymore than they want to see Ore. St. play PSU in the RB. I am not sayng that Ore. St. doesn't deserve it if they win out but does anyone really want to see those games? Heck the Holiday bowl might be a better BCS game than the Rose Bowl on sheer talent alone.

One other thing that is on my mind. How in Gods name is Texas BEHIND Oklahoma in the coaches poll last week?! If we are going to criticize the writers for some of their picks the coaches need to be taken to task for their bone head picks. Some of those guys need to have their membership cards pulled.

It just shows how flawed the whole system is...