Why USC Doesn't Deserve the Praise

I am sick and tired of all these sports commentators saying that USC has an incredible football team that is hands-down the best in the nation. Here are reasons why they don't deserve that level of praise:

1. They have only played two games
   Here we are in mid-September with most other teams having logged twice that many games. They had two weeks to prepare for their allegedly biggest challenge - Ohio State. Too bad the Buckeyes didn't have that chance.
   
2. Their victories are less impressive
   Now that the pre-season is over (no more cupcake opponents), we are starting to see how good or bad these football teams *really* are. USC blew out a mediocre Virgina team from the mediocre ACC. They blew out an Ohio State team that led Troy by a measely field goal until the fourth quarter. A Sunbelt conference team! Wake me up when they have a real opponent. That will be sometime next year, unless USC is pampered with another less-than-challenging schedule...
   
3. Their schedule is a cakewalk
   There is only one other ranked team in the PAC-10, being Oregon. This team just lost to Boise State of the WACC. This is their only ranked opponent on USC's schedule. If they can't run the table, they don't deserve to be ranked at all, let alone number one.

So while USC is surfing the waves of mediocre opponents in the California sun, the SEC powerhouses are beating each other up. Half of the top ten are SEC teams. HALF! It's too bad that LSU and Auburn had to play each other and force one out of the top ten (sorry Auburn). Whoever survives the SEC season deserves a shot at the national title against the annointed USC. I hope whoever it is kicks their tail.

This is what stinks about not have a championship playoff system. It favors the teams that can dominate their own conference while avoiding any real challeneges outside. Margin-of-victory can help offset a lower strength of schedule.