A moment of regret for Trojans

The Rose Bowl mercifully ended days ago, but USC’s game of what-might-have-been goes on and on and on . . .

BCS title game, Ohio State vs. Louisiana State (Monday, 5 p.m., Channel 11): The Los Angeles Sports Council is asking fans to vote for their “greatest sports moments” of 2007. How about a poll to name the most influential sports moment of last year? Considering how the BCS bowl season has played out / droned on, it would be tough to top Stanford’s last-minute touchdown pass to upset USC on Oct. 6.

Take away that one completion -- Tavita Pritchard to Mark Bradford in the left corner of the end zone, as if anyone in L.A. will ever forget -- and is there any doubt USC would be playing Monday night in New Orleans? And favored to win?

Certainly you’d have to like the Trojans’ chances against Ohio State after Illinois defeated Ohio State by seven points and USC defeated Illinois by 32. (Given the opportunity to play anybody but USC in the Rose Bowl, Illinois no doubt would have taken that chance.)

But to put Tavita’s deed into words: Nobody is crying for the Trojans. All things considered, Ohio State-LSU is a reasonable way to conclude an unreasonable college football season. No complaints here. Though I do have one request.

A competitive game. Is that too much to ask?

USC gets another shot at Stanford! . . .

USC at Stanford (Saturday, Prime, 5 p.m.): Not really what Trojans football fans were hoping for. But a good Pac-10 basketball game is a good Pac-10 basketball game.

Meanwhile, startling news out of UCLA . . .

UCLA at California (Saturday, Prime, 3 p.m.): It happened this week. UCLA hires a football coach before it wins a conference basketball game!

Ranking this weekend’s NFL wild-card viewing options . . .

1. Jacksonville Jaguars at Pittsburgh Steelers (Saturday, 5 p.m., Channel 4): We thought it was wild stuff back in January 2005 when three of four wild-card games were won by road teams. It wouldn’t be shocking this time around, not with the wave of emotion Washington rides into Seattle, the New York Giants’ 7-1 road record this season and the fact Jacksonville defeated the Steelers in Pittsburgh three weeks ago, 29-22.

2. New York Giants at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Sunday, 10 a.m., Channel 11): Eli Manning Alert! Eli Manning Alert! Because of the Eli Factor, this is the first round’s snake-in-the-fake-can-of-peanuts game. The prank could backfire, as Manning has been known to do. And last January, Jeff Garcia, then with the Philadelphia Eagles, defeated Manning’s Giants during this round. On the other hand, scientists and researchers remain baffled by Manning’s four-touchdown passing performance against New England.

3. Washington Redskins at Seattle Seahawks (Saturday, 1:30 p.m., Channel 4): A jet plane is not the only mode of transportation taking the Redskins to Seattle. Karma carried them there as well. Washington has been playing win-or-else playoff-intensity games for the last month; Seattle closed its regular season against San Francisco (5-11), Chicago (7-9), St. Louis (3-13), Philadelphia (8-8), Arizona (8-8), Carolina (7-9), Baltimore (5-11) and Atlanta (4-12). The Seahawks are 1-1 this season against playoff teams, including a 21-0 loss at Pittsburgh.

4. Tennessee Titans at San Diego Chargers (Sunday, 1:30 p.m., Channel 2): There is a chance Kerry Collins could play a substantial amount of time for Tennessee in this one. Should that happen, Norv Turner knows what that means, with or without consulting Marty Schottenheimer’s leisure-time schedule the last 11 months. Collins appeared in 29 games for Oakland while Turner was coaching the Raiders in 2004 and 2005. Turner’s record with the Raiders in 2004-05 was 9-23.

Life after the Celtics. Yes, it does go on . . .

Philadelphia 76ers at Lakers (tonight, 7:30, FSNW) and Indiana Pacers at Lakers (Sunday, 6:30 p.m., FSNW): Lakers regroup from Celtics debacle, try to re-create happier memories of past Finals performances against 76ers (lost ’01 Finals in five games to Lakers) and Pacers (lost ’00 Finals in six games).

Pucks . . .

Chicago Blackhawks at Ducks (tonight, 7, Prime) and Ducks at Phoenix Coyotes (Saturday, 6 p.m., Channel 56) and Calgary Flames at Kings (Saturday, 7:30 p.m., FSNW): This week, the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins played an outdoor hockey game, which was finally a concept made for the Television Channel Formerly Known as the Outdoor Life Network (a.k.a. Versus). Instead, NBC aired it, which probably explains the 2.6 overnight rating, the league’s highest in a decade.

Despite a recent ripple of success, the Kings continue to own the NHL’s worst record and want to know what’s the big deal about an outdoor hockey game in January? The Kings have been left out in the cold for years.

Punt . . .

International Bowl, Rutgers vs. Ball State (Saturday, 9 a.m., ESPN2): After Boise, Birmingham, Mobile, Shreveport, El Paso, Fort Worth and Albuquerque got their bowl matchups, they decided to ship this one out to Canada.

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christine.daniels@latimes.com