Are Stanford, USC and Texas all Bad at Football?

Submitted by UMBSnMBA on

USC struggles against WMU, beats Stanford and edges Texas.  Stanford beats Rice loses to USC and loses to SDSU (!).  Texas loses to Maryland (!), beats San Jose State and gets beaten by USC. 

So within the 3 teams we have a couple of big loses, some close wins against each other and blowouts against some teams best characterized as NPC's.  Anybody with a pulse outside of this troika has given them a game or beaten them. 

The narrative is that they are all good or improving.  Put on a different set of lenses and they are all bad and struggling.  I guess that this is why we play the games. 

Go Blue.

wildbackdunesman

September 17th, 2017 at 12:24 PM ^

Nobody knows how the season will finish, but what has USC done to earn that #4 ranking this season in games?

 

Struggled against a WMU team that just struggled against Idaho.

Beat a Stanford team that is 1-2 and won't be ranked.

And barely beat a 1-2 Texas in 2OTthat also won't be ranked.

 

For all of the talk of it being the end of the season for Michigan at least we have a bonafide win (over Florida who just beat ranked Tennessee) and at this point Air Force "might" be better than Stanford.

WorldwideTJRob

September 17th, 2017 at 9:59 AM ^

I think SDSU is a pretty decent squad, so Stanford losing to them on the road is not as shocking. USC may not look as good in another conference but they should get through the PAC-12 with a pretty good record though. Texas just played over their heads yesterday with a backup QB. I expect them to finish 7-5.

lhglrkwg

September 17th, 2017 at 10:02 AM ^

was that ever in doubt?

I do think USC is overrated. Darnold does not look like a Heisman contender nor does USC look like a playoff contender, especially now that some of the glow on their Stanford win has faded. I like UW to win the Pac12 again

Cali Wolverine

September 17th, 2017 at 11:18 AM ^

...but by the end of the year if the O Line and the young receivers continue to develope...they will have one of the top offenses in the entire country...and they have an excellent chance to be playing in the College Football Playoffs. Darnold has had some early struggles, but is still one of the top players in College Football.

TrueBlue2003

September 17th, 2017 at 12:18 PM ^

seems like one of those teams that's really talented but with iffy coaching so they'll play up down to the competition on any given day.  Not unlike a lot of Lloyd Carr's teams.  Because of this, they'll be prone to dropping at least a couple games they shouldn't.  But they could also beat Bama.

Texas is way TBD.  My guess is they'll improve a lot over the course of the season.

TrueBlue2003

September 17th, 2017 at 12:02 PM ^

I live here and can confirm this to be true.

Was just going to comment something to the effect of "good luck finding a Stanford fan to ask him that question".

Last night was USC's first sellout since 2013!! USC! And it was obviously only a sellout because of Texas fans.  They apparenlty did not sell out their game agaisnt UCLA in 2015, which boggles the mind.

PM

September 17th, 2017 at 12:38 PM ^

here from back in the 90's when they had some respectable teams. The only game that felt close to a Michigan game day experience was the USC game. I did enjoy going to games in November wearing shorts and a t-shirt, with a sweatshirt to sit on though (until the sun fell behind the foothills - then it got chilly.)

Back in A2 now and very much enjoying the game day atmosphere here. 

schreibee

September 17th, 2017 at 12:41 PM ^

I think that's because rating Stanford is purely an academic exercise for us, so to speak, while watching M struggle is visceral. 

So, yeah, zero concerns if Stanford goes 1-11 like they did the year before JH arrived.

Grave concerns if M goes 10-2 and doesn't look like it's ever getting better on the OL...

UMxWolverines

September 17th, 2017 at 10:05 AM ^

I think USC is overrated, but I don't think Texas is as bad as everyone thought after losing to Maryland because I think Maryland is solid.

Stanford just blew their shot at the playoff, and USC looks like the only legit contender this year out of the PAC so we'll see.