THE BOTTOM TEN

Several rival losers charged that USC gave up 27 points in the fourth quarter against Stanford in an effort to break into the Bottom Ten. The Trojans, in other words, were pouring it on themselves.

If so, the strategy worked. USC moved into the No. 10 spot on the basis of a smashed-in-the-mouth defense that has surrendered 147 points in its last four games.

However, it appears too late for the Trojans to make a run at the Bottom Ten title because they recorded a few freak victories earlier in the season -- one more argument for a BCS (Bowl Chump Series) playoff.

Some pollsters seem to feel sorry for the gutty little Trojans. Paying no attention to USC’s 55-21 loss to Stanford, Jeff Sagarin’s computer ratings this week had the Trojans (7-3) at No. 12 and Stanford (7-3) at No. 15. And you thought computers had no sense of humor.

*--* N. Wreck, Record Last Loss Next Loss 1. Eastern Michigan (0-10) 14-35, Western Michigan Toledo 2. Western Kentucky (0-10) 18-21, Louisiana Monroe Idle 3. Washington State (1-9) 7-43, UCLA Oregon State 4. San Jose State (1-8) 9-24, Utah State Hawaii 5. Memphis (2-8) 21-31, Ala. Birmingham Houston 6. New Mexico (0-10) 19-24, Brigham Young Colorado State 7. Maryland (2-8) 9-36, Virginia Tech Florida State 8. North Texas (2-8) 28-35, Fla. International Army 9. Vanderbilt (2-9) 13-24, Kentucky Tennessee 10. USC (7-3) 21-55, Stanford Healing *--*

11. Tulane (3-7); 12. Rice (1-9); 13. Arizona State (4-6); 14. Tennessee* (5-5); 15. Michigan (5-6); 16. (tie) Notre Dame and Iowa (still winless in November); 18. Florida State (5-5); 19. On assignment; 20. Texas El End-Over-End Paso (3-7).

*Assuming that after suspensions it still has enough players to field a team.

Rout of the week: Ohio State (9-2) at Michigan (5-6).

Crummy game of the week: Toledo (4-6) at Eastern Michigan (0-10).

Talk about insults: Iowa went into its game against Ohio State as one of the few 9-1 teams ever to be a 17-point underdog. The Hawkeyes beat the spread, but not the Buckeyes. Ohio State won, 27-24, in overtime.

The small print: A survey by USA Today of college football contracts found, among other things, a clause that calls for Fresno State assistants to “downplay defeats by not dwelling excessively on them.” Must be tough this week after that 52-14 loss to Nevada.

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