USC could still go to the Rose Bowl

Unfortunately, the scenario involves Wazzu winning, so it ain’t gonna happen. But Ken Stern can dream:

[T]here would have to be a 6 way tie for the conference lead (with 6-3 records) among Oregon, Arizona, Stanford, Cal, Oregon State and USC. Under that scenario the first tie-breaker is the record against those teams and USC, Oregon State and Arizona would have the best records at 3-2 against those teams. Then USC would get the nod because it would have beaten both Oregon State and Arizona.

So what is the likelihood of such a tie? Oregon would have to lose to Oregon State and Arizona. Arizona would have to lose to USC but beat Oregon and Arizona State. Stanford would have to lose to Cal. Cal would have to beat Stanford and Washington. USC would have to beat UCLA and Arizona. Oregon State would have to beat Oregon, but lose to Washington State!!!!

Those scenarios are not entirely far-fetched…except of course for the one with Oregon State somehow beating Oregon, after losing the week before to Washington State.

Heh.

P.S. To simplify things slightly, this scenario requires the following eight outcomes:

Saturday, November 21:
Arizona beats Oregon
Cal beats Stanford
Washington State beats Oregon State

Saturday, November 28:
Arizona beats Arizona State
USC beats UCLA

Thursday, December 3:
Oregon State beats Oregon

Saturday, December 5:
USC beats Arizona
Cal beats Washington