USC has a point in rooting for Hawai'i
By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Staff Columnist
You are not alone in your concern or pain this week, University of Hawai'i football fans.
Be assured that with every incomplete shovel pass, every turnover and every loss, the University of Southern California and its followers have begun to share your disappointment and torment.
Especially now.
For, as this week's Bowl Championship Series standings indicate, the Trojans need all the points they can muster. Despite blanking Arizona, 45-0, Saturday, USC yesterday was replaced by Ohio State in the all-important second place behind Oklahoma in the weekly standings by 0.19 of a point.
That's less than a fifth of a point that would separate USC from playing in the national championship game against the Sooners in the Sugar Bowl if the season ended today.
A prime component of that formula is strength of schedule and when the difference between second and third places is that small, you can see how any victory by one of this year's Trojan opponents helps enhance USC's standing and, on the flip side, every loss has the potential to detract from it.
Which is why USC has had a definite, rooting interest in the Warriors' success ever since UH filed out of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum after the 61-32 game back in September.
Some Internet analysts, in fact, last week identified the UH-Nevada game as one of several games that would impact USC's standing this week.
Over the long haul, the difference between UH finishing its season with, say, a 7-6 record vs. 11-2 could be "enough of a swing if it was really close," said Jeff Anderson, a college professor whose Seattle Times poll is one of the computer polls used in calculating the BCS standings.
"Obviously, the better the opponents do, the more it helps," Anderson said.
The Trojans haven't been helped by non-conference opponents who were expected to have better seasons. Consider that while UH is 6-4 and Auburn is just 6-5, Brigham Young is 4-7 and Notre Dame 4-6.
More and more schools are taking the BCS into account in scheduling, witness how Notre Dame cited the formula in its decision to cancel its last contract with UH. Although there were questions about whether the Irish were nervous after sweating out 48-42 (1991) and 23-22 (1997) wins here, a spokesman said at the time, "With the new (BCS), the implications of playing that game (2001) are different than they used to be."
In the meantime, Warrior fans should know the Trojans and their followers are with them, now more than ever.
"I'm always rooting for UH," said Norm Chow, USC's offensive coordinator and a Punahou School graduate.
Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.
