jtk1519
11-22-2005, 07:48 PM
From CNNSI.com...
It's clear at this point that if USC is to win its third straight national title, it's going to have to spit in the face of the adage that "defense wins championships." A little crack research reveals that no national champion has given up 42 points in a game since Penn State in 1982 (and the Nittany Lions lost that game, to Alabama). The Trojans may have one of the greatest offenses ever assembled, but their injury-plagued defense has been living dangerously all season, and they're not being helped by shoddy kick and punt coverage that gives opposing offenses short fields. The Fresno State game wasn't an aberration, either: the Trojans are 83rd in the country in kick-return coverage, 117th -- dead last -- against punt returns.
Texas, on the other hand, has no such concerns. All it's done lately is destroy everyone in its path. Even when pitted against a high-powered offense and a top-20 adversary in Texas Tech, the Longhorns won 52-17. Their 25-22 win at Ohio State looks more impressive every week.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/stewart_mandel/11/22/power.rankings/index.html
No smack, just fact.
It's clear at this point that if USC is to win its third straight national title, it's going to have to spit in the face of the adage that "defense wins championships." A little crack research reveals that no national champion has given up 42 points in a game since Penn State in 1982 (and the Nittany Lions lost that game, to Alabama). The Trojans may have one of the greatest offenses ever assembled, but their injury-plagued defense has been living dangerously all season, and they're not being helped by shoddy kick and punt coverage that gives opposing offenses short fields. The Fresno State game wasn't an aberration, either: the Trojans are 83rd in the country in kick-return coverage, 117th -- dead last -- against punt returns.
Texas, on the other hand, has no such concerns. All it's done lately is destroy everyone in its path. Even when pitted against a high-powered offense and a top-20 adversary in Texas Tech, the Longhorns won 52-17. Their 25-22 win at Ohio State looks more impressive every week.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/stewart_mandel/11/22/power.rankings/index.html
No smack, just fact.