Shortage of Pac Horses Hurts Trojans

USC proved this weekend that it remains, by a John Daly tee shot, the best team in the Pacific 10 Conference.

USC proved it by not playing.

All this talk about the Trojans coming back to the Pac this year has been so far refuted by stubborn things called game summaries.

You look at the Pac-10 after two weeks and wonder if it’s time to invite 0-2 Colorado, which lost to Montana State, which lost to Chadron State, into the fold.

OK, maybe it’s a tad early to write off an entire off-season’s worth of work, but people around the country are already talking.

Why is this important?

Strength of the conference, or lack thereof, could have an impact on USC’s chances of getting back to the national championship game -- even if the Trojans deserve it.

Two years ago, 12-0 Auburn got stuck behind USC and Oklahoma in the Bowl Championship Series beauty contest in part because the Southeastern Conference that year wasn’t as good as SEC fans always think it is.

This year, the SEC is so tough Steve Spurrier couldn’t coach his team to a point on Saturday while the Pac-10 appears flatter than West Texas.

Bottom-feeder line: If voting coaches and Harris pollsters think USC is feasting at the Pac-10 pastry pantry, it could be tough for USC to overtake Ohio State or the eventual SEC champion.

USC moved up to No. 2 in Sunday’s coaches’ poll but needs to keep No. 4 Auburn, No. 6 Florida, No. 7 Louisiana State and No. 9 Georgia in its rearview mirror.

Perception is reality in college football. Notre Dame dropped from second to fourth in the Associated Press poll after defeating Georgia Tech and had to beat up on old man Joe Paterno’s team, 41-17, to win back customers.

“I’m not a guy interested in making statements,” Notre Dame Coach Charlie Weis said as observers of that statement doubled over in laughter.

USC handled its business last week in waxing Arkansas, 50-14, but what’s it going to mean if it blows through a conference that includes:

* Oregon. OK, Oregon may be good, even if it needed a brilliant fake field goal for a touchdown to get out of Fresno. The Ducks have to beat Oklahoma in Autzen Stadium this week to restore some conference credibility.

* California. Nice bounce-back win over Minnesota, but no one with a Jeff Foxworthy CD is ever going to forget that bear-in-the-headlights look Cal had last week at Tennessee, a team that would have lost at home on Saturday had Air Force made a two-point conversion.

* UCLA. Happy after Utah; steamed after Rice.

* Arizona State. Led USC last year at the half, 21-3, before disappearing into the Expectations Protection Program.

* Oregon State is fresh off a spud-kicking at Boise State.

* Stanford lost to help-keep-our-program-alive San Jose State.

* Washington State last week stole a Financial Times page from Eastern Washington in taking an $800,000 paycheck loss at Auburn.

* Washington had Oklahoma on the ropes in Norman and then remembered it was Washington.

* Give defensive whiz Mike Stoops three years at Arizona and watch him ... take a team to LSU that kicks a late field goal to gussy up a 45-3 loss.

What kind of work environment is this for USC?

Weekend Wrap

* Imagine how Ann Bowden felt Saturday as she sat in Tallahassee’s Doak Campbell Stadium. Her husband Bobby’s Florida State team was trailing Troy, 3-0, at the half, and her son Jeff was the presiding offensive coordinator. Meanwhile, in Boston, son Tommy’s Clemson team had lost in overtime to Boston College on a botched extra point. Thank goodness son Terry decided to go into broadcasting.

Next week, Ann loses what’s left of her fingernails when Tommy’s and Bobby’s teams meet in Bowden Bowl VIII.

Florida State rallied to beat Troy, 24-17, securing Bowden’s 361st, and perhaps worst, career victory. Trailing at home against Troy is like, well, here’s how Bowden described it to reporters: “It was like a nightmare. I was trying to run but my legs won’t go. I am trying to scream, but the voice don’t work.”

Inching along: The Seminoles have gained 46 yards rushing in two wins, an average of 5.7 yards per quarter.

* Some Penn State fans aren’t happy Notre Dame faked a punt with a 27-3 lead on Saturday. Weis said he would have punted had Penn State kept its defense on the field but elected for the fake when Penn State deployed its punt-return squad. Notre Dame, up 34-3, also went for it late on fourth and one at the Penn State 26, leading to a final touchdown.

Was Notre Dame running it up? Paterno had this advice for his players, and maybe it applies to his fans: “Go home. Go to work, keep our heads up, keep our mouths shut. Let’s see if we can get better.”

* Iowa dodged a major bullet on a day it rested starting quarterback Drew Tate (nagging abdominal strain) against lowly Syracuse. Iowa had to stop Syracuse seven consecutive times inside the five-yard line to escape with a 20-13, double-overtime win. Hawkeyes cornerback Adam Shada was impressed with the play of his defensive line: “They must have eaten their steaks this week,” Shada said.

Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz called holding Tate out an “adult decision” and the payoff may be having a game-ready quarterback for key home games against Iowa State (Saturday) and Ohio State (Sept. 30).

* Hard to believe: Tom O’Brien is in his 10th season as Boston College’s coach yet Saturday’s win over No. 18 Clemson was his first against a ranked opponent at home.

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chris.dufresne@latimes.com