The Blue Board

I already have other sig bets at the moment and the only one I could make would be one for the BCSNG (I think. I have to double-check). I'll fix the title and OP if you'd like to get people ITT for that.

After comparing the losses of the SEC champ to USC's during those years,
the truth is the SEC champion is the one who has had the bigger habit of
losing to inferior "scrub" conference opponents. Or choking as they like to say.

The real question is why does the SEC champ lose so often to inferior scrub SEC teams?

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(2 of the comparisons mix 2 different seasons together, since there was an unequal
amounts of losses. For the most part though, the comparison goes year by year).
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2002 USC @ Washington St(10-3) 30-27 OT
2002 Georgia (13-1) vs Florida (8-5) (in Jax) 20-13. (worse loss)

USC lost on the road in overtime to a slightly better team.
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2003 USC @ CAL (8-6) 34-31 3OT
2003 LSU (13-1) vs Florida (8-5) 19-7 (worse loss)

Same quality of opponent. But losing at home by double digits is far worse
than losing by 3 in 3 overtimes on the road.
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2004 -USC & Auburn no conf losses.
2005 -USC no conf. losses, LSU 1.
2006- Florida 1 conf loss, USC 2.
2002, 2003, 2007, & 2008 = equal amount of conf. losses
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2006 USC @ Oregon St (10-4) 33-31
2006 Florida (13-1) @ Auburn (11-2) 27-17 (draw)

Auburn lost at home to Arkansas 27-10. That was the same year Arkansas got drilled by USC
50-14 in their own house. Those Hogs then rolled 10 straight, eventually losing in SEC CCG to Florida by 10).
Plus, losing when your 2pt conv. is batted down by a d-lineman on the last play of the game is better than losing by double digits. That makes up the difference of Auburn being a little better team.
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2006 USC @ UCLA (7-6) 13-9
2007 LSU (12-2) @ Kentucky (8-5) 43-37 (worse loss)

LSU lost to Kentucky. Don't let the 8 wins fool you, 5 of Kentucky's 8 wins came against
D1aa-Western Kentucky, Florida Atlantic, 3-9 Kent St, 5-7 Vanderbilt, and 6-6 Louisville.
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2007 USC vs Stanford (4-8) 24-23
2005 *LSU (11-2) vs Tennessee (5-6) 30-27 (draw)

Tenn & Furd were equally bad in 2005 & 2007. The Vols other 4 wins came against
UAB, Memphis, and a pair of 3-8 SEC teams, Ole Miss & Kentucky.
Stanford's 3 other wins came against 5 win SJ State and Arizona, but they also beat a 7-6 Cal
team that easily defeated '07 SEC East champ Tennessee 45-31, earlier in the year.
*'05 LSU lost to Georgia in CCG, but LSU finished with a better record 11-2.
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2007 USC @ Oregon (9-4) 24-17
2007 LSU (12-2) vs Arkanasas (8-5) 50-48 OT (worse loss)

(USC played with their back up QB, on the road and lost by a TD. Oregon was better than 9-4 indicated.
They lost 3 of their last 4 games after Dennis Dixon was injured, after starting 8-1, and being ranked #2.
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2008 USC @ Oregon St (9-4) 27-21
2008 Florida (13-1) vs Ole Miss (9-4) 31-30 (worse loss)

Again, same quality of opponent. Again, losing at home, is worse than losing by a TD on the road.
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Scoreboard: Out of the 7 losses, the SEC champ had the worst loss 5 times,
and the other 2 games were even in difficulty.

Ok, I'll concede the Stanford fiasco as a worse loss.
Still, that's only 1 loss out of 7, where USC lost an easier game than the SEC champ did.
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If you want to include the 2009 loss at UW, then here is an example for that as well.

2008 LSU (8-5) @ Arkansas(5-7) 31-30
2009 USC (9-4) @ Washington(5-7) 16-13. (draw)

A down year for both teams, but USC played entire game with back-up QB Aaron Corp.
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So next time you see or hear someone perpetuating the myth that USC has a habit of losing to crappy
Pac 12 teams, do me a favor and give their false perception a dose of reality by educating them with
the truth.

The truth being; no MNC contender loses more often to inferior scrub teams within it's own conference
than the SEC champ does.

I guess you missed this part

(2 of the comparisons mix 2 different seasons together, since there was an unequal
amounts of losses. For the most part though, the comparison goes year by year).

Its pretty cut n dry

I'll help you.

Losing home game is worse than losing a road game.

Losing by double digits is worse than losing by single digits.

But, you might have 1978's disease, a condition that makes your brain malfunction causing delusional thinking, where you believe a double digit loss at home is better.

So a six-point road loss is better than a one-point home loss? A three point, triple-overtime loss is worse than a six-point road loss?

For opponents: What about final rankings of losses? Wins? Scoring differential? Shutouts?

I would be totally fine if you used a completely thorough and objective comparison in only years that are applicable. If that found the results: whatever. Facts are facts.

Somewhat of a pat myself on the back bump. I know they haven't played Utah yet and there is more season to play...but it is looking like this is more accurate than USC being a dominant team.

Kiffin is a joke as a coach.