For what it's worth: USC officially eliminated from Rose Bowl race
USC football's sky and status kept falling when the Trojans dropped 11 positions to No. 22 in today's Associated Press poll while it was confirmed that Pete Carroll's team had been officially eliminated from the Rose Bowl race.
"I can't find any scenario where USC gets to the Rose Bowl," Pac-10 spokesman Jim Muldoon said in an e-mail today.
The Trojans (7-3, 4-3) could still claim a share of the Pac-10 title in a multiple-tie situation but cannot earn the automatic bid to Pasadena.
Thus, USC's streak of seven straight Bowl Championship Series appearances is over, but you might have guessed that after Saturday's 55-21 home loss to Stanford.
The best postseason game available to USC appears to be the Sun Bowl on Dec. 31. Oregon and Stanford, which both defeated USC, can finish no worse than 6-3 in the Pac-10, while 6-3 is the best USC can finish.
USC is currently tied with Cal for fifth place in the conference race, with the Pac-10 having arrangements with six bowl partners.
Other options for USC include the Emerald Bowl, against an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent on Dec. 26, the Las Vegas Bowl versus the Mountain West on Dec. 22 or the Poinsettia Bowl against the Mountain West on Dec. 23.
-- Chris Dufresne
