By Monte Poole
THEY HAVE THE regal lineage, the certified supremacy, the collection of bejeweled crowns, the breathless adulation of a coveted region. They are masters of their empire, the Los Angeles kings. Everybody wants to be like the USC Trojans — especially those who coach football in the Pac-10. Most every sport at every level has a goliath, a mountain by which all others must be measured, and USC is that in the Pac-10. Bay Area prep football has De La Salle, women's college hoops has Tennessee, golf has Tiger Woods. Pac-10 football has USC. No matter the ranking of the Trojans on a given day, in a given year, any team entering the L.A. Coliseum is reduced to the status of mere challenger.
Which applies yet again to No. 21 Cal, which on Saturday makes another attempt to topple the conference king. As always, for Cal and any team in the Pac-10 — as well as pretty much any squad in college football — a road date at USC represents the least likely win on the schedule. The national perception is that the Pac-10 is owned by USC, with the other nine teams renting a studio below. Cal's Jeff Tedford, 1-5 against USC but 33-16 against other teams in the conference, doesn't even pretend to disagree. "That's fair," he said Tuesday. "They've done enough to earn that." Well, yes, they have. Since Pete Carroll arrived in 2001 to wake up a program that had snoozed through much of the 1990s, USC's 83-15 record is the best in college football. After rebuilding in '01, the Trojans are an astounding 77-9, with two national titles, six top-four finishes and six Pac-10 titles.
This is the 87th consecutive game in which seventh-ranked USC (7-1, 5-1 Pac-10) will enter with a national ranking. The Trojans have become the college football equivalent of the New York Yankees when Babe Ruth was in uniform, the Boston Celtics when Bill Russell was prowling the court — or the 49ers when Bill Walsh was patrolling the sidelines. Indeed, the Trojans in recent years have ascended to the California football throne vacated by the Raiders and 49ers, deposed kings now stripped naked, ridiculed by those they once ruled. USC football is West Coast cool. It's Will Ferrell bringing laughs to practice, celebrities strolling the aisles. It's George Clooney's easy charm, Snoop Dogg's breezy swagger, Denzel Washington's undeniable presence and Microsoft's reliable production.
The Trojans are the kings of Hollywood, masters of the Pac-10. And they know it. "We've understood that for as long as I can remember," Carroll said of the mystique, including 37 members of the College Football Hall of Fame, that makes the program a target to all opponents. This is what Cal aspires to but simply can't achieve. Not when the culture of Berkeley is so different from that of L.A. Not when two NFL teams, for what they're worth, divert attention, support and coverage from Cal, while the Trojans rule the SoCal football turf. For winning means so much more at USC, where the collective pulse is tied to victory. These folks are willing to pay any price — perhaps literally — for success.
Yet this is the series the Bears must turn into a viable rivalry before they can join college football's elite. Until then, Cal is a quality program, in a strong conference, going to bowl games — but constantly looking up at the sickeningly good Trojans. If Oregon State can fell USC twice in three years, surely winning one of every three meetings is not beyond the reach of the Bears. As Tedford tries to summon hope for Saturday, when winning would put Cal (6-2, 4-1) in position for a Pac-10 title, it's evident he needs a wish. He doesn't know who will start at quarterback, and star running back Jahvid Best is aching and will be restricted during practices. Then someone reminded Tedford of an intimidating truth: USC under Carroll is undefeated (24-0) in November.
"Thanks for telling me that," the coach said though a forced smile. " ... I really won't sleep tonight." Oh, he'll sleep. His mind will drift off. And he'll see Carroll wearing a crown, sitting on a throne, laughing and taunting the masses, daring somebody to knock him off.
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