That's What I Would Say

Being a homer is not a bad thing, it just means you love your hometown team or alma mater. When your team has a game against an inferior opponent it is easy to predict a big win and focus your attention on something else.

Hey when Fresno State played New Mexico State, Utah State and Idaho that was a joke and those games did not need any special attention. If I was a USC homer and had no idea about Fresno State, other than their stats, games played, and conference affiliation, I would probably say this:

The Trojans are spending the week preparing for this Saturday's game against the Fresno State Bulldogs. The Bulldogs are coming into the Coliseum this weekend ranked 16th in the nation with an 8-1 record. The Bulldogs' only loss this season came in their second game where they lost by three points at Oregon.

Of course, there are going to be the people who will say Fresno State has a great chance to pull off the upset, but there really is little to no chance at all on this one. The Trojans' stats blow Fresno State out of the water. When their schedules are compared, it makes USC's stats seem even stronger. It could also be added that the Trojan's starters often come out early in games, so their stats are a lot lower than they could be.

For those of you who don't believe in comparing stats, let's take a look at the "common opponents theory." It works out well for these two teams as they both played Oregon on the road, and they both played Hawaii on the road. At Hawaii, Fresno State won 27-13, while the Trojans won their game 63-17. At Oregon, the Bulldogs lost 37-34, and the Trojans won 45-13.

Don't look for an upset this week because there isn't one coming. USC should have another impressive win, leading to their final game of the season at home against UCLA on December 3. - Shane Carney