USC or Alabama: Which team should be No. 1? [Poll]

USC started the college football season ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press poll and No. 3 in the USA Today coaches’ poll. After a 49-10 victory over Hawaii on Saturday, the Trojans are now at No. 2 in both polls.

Defending BCS champion Alabama moved up from No. 2 to No. 1 in both polls after a 41-14 victory over then-No. 8 Michigan.

Writers from around the Tribune Co. offer their opinions on which team deserves the top ranking. Check back throughout the day for their responses and join the conversation by voting in the poll and leaving a comment of your own.

Teddy Greenstein, Chicago Tribune

The preseason ranking is all about speculation. But once the ball goes in the air, it’s all about performance -- who you beat and where you beat ‘em.

Based on that, there’s no way you can pick USC over Alabama. Yeah, the Trojans looked practically flawless in building a 35-0 halftime lead against Hawaii. But it was Hawaii. At home.

Alabama took a gamble by agreeing to play the Big Ten’s highest-ranked team (by some) at a neutral site. And that game was over by the end of the first quarter. The Crimson Tide turned a two-dimensional Heisman Trophy candidate, Denard Robinson, into a cardboard cutout. And Alabama’s offensive line looked like it was ready to perform on Sundays.

Jeff Barker, The Baltimore Sun

College football seasons are marathons, not sprints. Teams begin the year in their shiny best, but by the end they can appear frayed.

That’s where depth comes in. As good as USC is -- and their talents are gaudy on offense -- the Trojans are still subject to scholarship restrictions. The toll may not be evident immediately, but it could be by the time the Trojans host Oregon on Nov. 3. Remember that USC‘s defensive line has already been thinned by departures and injury.

None of this means the Trojans aren’t a potent team -- only that they’re second to Alabama, which dismantled Michigan in its opener. If these teams met today, I’d pick Alabama’s offensive line over USC’s untested defensive line. Alabama is No. 1.

[Updated at 1:38 p.m.:

Mike Hiserman, Los Angeles Times

If the question refers to the Associated Press media poll, USC should be No. 1. If you’re talking about the USA Today Coaches’ poll, well, then Louisiana State should be No. 1

That’s the short answer. Now here’s the longer explanation:

USC opened No. 1 in the AP poll and did nothing to earn a demotion while blasting Hawaii by 39 points in its opener. Quarterback Matt Barkley looked a lot like the Heisman frontrunner he is, and receiver Marqise Lee looked a lot like the Heisman contender he should be. LSU easily defeated North Texas, 41-14, also doing nothing to earn a demotion.

So floppers, why change your vote?

No doubt Alabama was most impressive in routing a top-10 Michigan team that was coming off a season in which it only lost twice. But folks, it’s a long season. When the top three teams all win impressively, crushing teams they were supposed to crush, why make a change in Week 1?

I don’t vote in the AP media poll, but if I did I probably would have voted Alabama No. 1 from the get-go. The Tide was the best college team in the land last season and simply reloaded. And a Southeastern Conference team has won the last six Bowl Championship Series titles. Why should anyone think this year would be different?

The point is, if you voted one way before the season started, no team in the top three did anything that should change your mind. Leave the flopping to the experts -- politicians.

Matt Murschel, Orlando Sentinel

Most college coaches will tell you that it really doesn’t matter where their teams are ranked at the beginning of the season, only where they are ranked at the end. That holds true in this case. Sure, it’s impressive to be the top team in the country after Week One, but by no means does it guarantee success.

USC has an impressive array of talent led by Heisman Trophy candidate Matt Barkley at quarterback and the Trojans looked dominant in their 49-10 win over Hawaii during the weekend, but they should have won big considering the opponent.

Alabama, on the other hand, had questions surrounding this year’s team as it looked to repeat as national champions. The Crimson Tide answered those questions emphatically with their 41-14 win over Michigan in front of a prime-time audience.

It was a statement game for Alabama and that statement was loud and clear: We deserve to be No. 1.]

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