FOOTBALL

Sunday Buzz: USC-Oregon Reaction

Alex Grinch got fired last week but why didn’t Donte Williams?

Did you notice a difference in the defense? The secondary looked even more confused at times Saturday night at Autzen Stadium, which is confounding when you realize some of those players are juniors and seniors.

Whatever USC did to change its defense last week, it still displayed a lot of the same issues, especially in the secondary. There really needs to be a root-and-branch overhaul and I suspect it is coming.

When Lincoln Riley says USC is close to winning these games, as he did again Saturday night, he doesn’t acknowledge there are coaching/player shortcomings that account for falling short. How can USC win big games with a coaching deficit? Or players who don’t understand their roles?

  • The defense is awful (giving up 552 yards to Oregon) but that masks how the offense has often failed to play its part this season. The fumbles, the constant reliance on improvisation by Caleb Williams, the lack of consistency from the receivers, the failure to develop a consistent running game. Riley deserves his share of the blame too.
  • When Riley got hired at USC, Brandon “Mini-Me” Sosna trumpeted his record at Oklahoma (55-10). Well, Riley’s already lost seven games at USC and he isn’t even through Year 2. USC is 7-6 in its past 13 games.
  • A couple comments from Lincoln Riley stood out:

“I mean you’ve got guys playing in there that are probably about 70 percent right now (on defense), and that’s just kind of what you had.”

So the defense has injuries? Maybe Riley should look at his strength program, which has not acquited itself well this season. Even Riley admitted USC got beat on both lines against Oregon. The strength coaches (towel wavers) are not doing their job.

Also, has Riley looked at teams like Arizona State? They have had more injuries and no one has sympathy for the Sun Devils.

  • Then there was this nugget buried in an answer: “Honestly, we probably played a little bit tougher schedule this year. This nine game stretch has been a bear.”

Riley is right. The schedule is not as cushy as last year. Everyone knew that. But look at 2024: LSU, Michigan, Penn State, Washington, Notre Dame. Now that’s a bear.

  • When the USC schedule was released for this season, a lot of people were thrilled because the Trojans had a bye before the Pac-12 championship game. Now? Not so much.

125 thoughts on “Sunday Buzz: USC-Oregon Reaction”

  1. Tough loss but the defense looked better in the 2nd half after getting torched by those huge twin tds in the 1st half. Too bad Grinch was ever allowed to be DC this entire year – his impact was permanent his departure was too late.

    The schedule next year is brutal with LSU, MI, PA St. as well as the regulars.

    Who is going to the LA Bowl on the 16th? AZ? AZ St.? bel-air tech?

    Liked by 2 people

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    1. Lincoln Riley knew his defensive coaching staff was garbage since last year and he did nothing to address it.

      Keeping Grinch because that is his friend, threw away the season, cost Caleb Williams a chance at a second Heisman.

      Lincoln Riley needs to go, he is another in a long line of coaching hire mistakes.

      Liked by 3 people

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      1. Go back to before the season started and look at the W/L predictions from posters here in this blog. There might have been two other posters along with myself that saw this disaster of a season coming due to what we knew was incompetent coaching on the defensive side that would lead to a 7 or 8 win season.

        You fucking fanboys predicting 10 or 11 wins were full of shit and still are, you have zero fucking credibility, you’re just fucking fanboys.

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      2. Lincoln Riley needs to change.

        I have been saying Riley needs a program called “without Superman” where he evaluates the team without a star QB, but now I am extending that to Riley himself.

        Riley needs to look at his performance as a head coach and ask himself, “if I dont have a Superman QB, am I a good head coach”? The answer would be a resounding no.

        If he wants the job of QB coach/OC, he should resign as head coach and then apply for the QB/OC coaching job and he would be great in that position. If not, then he needs to do a comprehensive assessment of his own skills – motivation, team discipiline, mentoring, personnel management, recruiting, strategy, etc.

        Here is my commentary, even though I am not close enough to this program to know the truth.

        Motivation – Did you see Dan Lanning on the sidelines with his players? He gets them pumped, he interacts with lots of them, not only the QB. Riley might need to step back from being the playcaller and become more of the head coach of the overall team.
        Team Discipline – Overall, there is a discipline issue with USC. I dont know the cause or solution, but there needs to be change.
        Mentoring – Is Riley able to mentor the whole coaching staff? I doubt it. He is so focused on creative playcalling and QB mentoring that he is missing being a mentor to the rest of the coaching staff. Maybe he has not coached enough different positions to know how to mentor them? He needs to get a mentor that can help him to figure out how to be a mentor.
        Personnel Management – His coaching staff is a mess and he needs to realize this is all on him. He needs to hire a management guru to help him figure out how to become effective at this.
        Recruiting – Is the Director of Recruiting an idiot, or are the position coaches, is it NIL or is it Riley himself? USC should be top 5 every year. Every year they are not top 5, he should evaluate and make changes until they are top 5. Results, not effort is what he needs to focus on.
        Strategy – Riley needs to evaluate whether the air raid offense is actually able to win championships, and if not, use more of an Urban Meyer approach, where you take the elements of the air raid that work and add to it.

        This is all about Riley becoming a good head coach, because outside of his area of expertise, he is failing.

        Liked by 2 people

      4. wipe the drool and get the goats serviced….quit being a pest….when are you going to meet up with Gabby…..pussy boy!

        Like

      5. This is the quality of Board Dunce aka Board Coward, Zero Football IQ Charlie Bucket the UCLA Fan aka Cowardly Gabby/TebowObama’s posts here:

        Gabby (original)
        JUNE 22, 2023 AT 9:22 PM
        horse plow wants to use his wife’s black dildo to enter the peenus sword fight tourney. The guy is hung like a pimple… I promised we wouldn’t laugh

        Liked by 1 person

      6. PS…………plow lost in the first round….thanks for reminding him…….back to the issue, when are you meeting up with Gabby….man up…bring plow and slo pa-troll

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      7. Board Coward, Zero Football IQ Charlie Bucket the UCLA Fan aka Cowardly Gabby/TebowObama, you admitted you lied!

        Here’s Board Coward, Zero Football IQ Charlie Bucket the UCLA Fan aka Cowardly Gabby/TebowObama admitting all:

        Gabby (original)
        JULY 8, 2023 AT 3:06 AM
        no one is going to fight someone over comments made in a blog…..plow is an old man just popping off…and you fucking know it……

        Liked by 1 person

      8. Exactly the Texas A&m job just opened up maybe he can leave and make most of us happy. Christmas can come early again. He’s not USC material with his excuses
        Time to cut bait and move on.

        Liked by 2 people

      9. That’s naive thinking – this year is a mess – everyone can see it but as I said elsewhere a number of 2nd year coaches are finding winning slippery with or w.o. a Heisman winner.

        Next year team will be far different than what we just saw – new defense coach and staff, no longer dependent upon one remarkable player and having to ‘please’ him esp. the now will-o-the-wisp ‘2nd Heisman’ gone. Getting the full impact of what the impact in relying on the transfer portal as much as was done. Riley is a solid coach and he just got a massive reality check of what it means to be USC’s head coach esp after the number that have been in change since PC left for the Seahawks.

        Kiffin has learned and fit seems Sarkisian has too neither of them had the record Riley had prior to their coaching at USC as he had coming from OK.

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  2. Whining about a tough schedule … did Pete (or Nick Saban, or Urban Meyer, et al) ever do that?

    Nothing will improve until the entire football apparatus from the top of the administration (read $tring Pullers – those who really matter) to the on field staff changes. The $tring Pullers usually can’t be removed, but the forces in play can be altered to ensure that the proper coach and staff are hired. That must occur. Until then, USC is just the past.

    Liked by 4 people

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      1. You stupid troll…..name the D2 schools Alabama has played since Saban has been the HC?….I am waiting

        Like

      2. Man up and quit ducking you fight with Plow Horse, Board Dunce aka Board Coward, Zero Football IQ Charlie Bucket the UCLA Fan aka Cowardly Gabby/TebowObama

        Plow Horse
        JUNE 22, 2023 AT 8:33 PM
        Gabby: I didn’t use the term “white guy.” The CEO of Ocean Gate used the term white guy. I suppose that reading comprehension isn’t one of your strengths. But since you brought my wife into it, something that you would never do if we met face to face, let’s meet up Mr. keyboard tough guy or are you going to chickensh*t out like you normally do. I work out at a boxing gym in Pasadena, CA. Name a date and time and I will make a reservation.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Here’s a concept……you and plow can both meet up with Gabby….work it out with plow…..or STFU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! pussy boy

        Like

      7. 2007 Western Carolina
        2009 Chattanooga
        2010 Georgia State
        2011 Georgia Southern ( now FBS )
        2012 Western Carolina
        2013 Chattanooga
        2104 Western Carolina
        2015 Charleston Southern
        2016 Chattanooga
        2017 Mercer

        Want me to keep going ?

        Liked by 1 person

      9. When are you finally going to quit running away and fight Plow Horse like you promised 5 months ago, Board Dunce aka Board Coward, Zero Football IQ Charlie Bucket the UCLA Fan aka Cowardly Gabby/TebowObama?

        Plow Horse
        JUNE 22, 2023 AT 8:02 PM
        Gabby:

        Explain how a policy of hiring the best person for the job is racist. You brought it up. Please answer instead of being a chickensh*t.

        Also, I note that when you want to really denigrate the wife of someone you don’t like on this board, presumably a white person, you say that she has a black dildo. Or you suggest that she is cheating with a black man. To you a white woman with a black man is the ultimate denigration. Is that racist? Frankly, I think you are the only truly racist person who regularly posts on this board. Like most leftists, you accuse others of doing the very thing that you do -treat black person as incapable of competing on equal terms with white people. I invite you to explain yourself but predict you will be a chickensh*t.

        Liked by 1 person

      11. Board Dunce aka Board Coward, Zero Football IQ Charlie Bucket the UCLA Fan aka Cowardly Gabby/Tebow Obama, make a note,, next time you deny you are posting as other people here to not go into a obscenity laced rant immediately after.

        Liked by 1 person

      12. To a certain extent true (as USC fans we remember when we played the toughest schedule year in and year out – but we can’t say that anymore since the ‘Heltonization’ of USC has turned us into the cupcake lovers) since the SEC has long had their mid-season cupcake scheduling practice – but Saban stole the heart and soul to include practices of USC which includes playing bigtime non-conference opponents most years, to include the beatdown of USC in Dallas, and USC cancelling the return engagement).

        LR whining about the schedule is simply pathetic – and just another example of his inability to accept responsibility for his failures.

        Liked by 4 people

      14. NCAA Division I football is split into two divisions. This split happened in 1978 when Division I-A and Division I-AA were created. In 2006, those subdivisions were renamed. The higher level, Division I-A, became the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and the lower level, Division I-AA, became the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).

        FCS was never D2…..FUCK YOU’RE STUPID!

        BAAAMMM CROTCH KICK!!!!!!!!…..FUCKING LIMP-DICK!

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      15. No one is dumber than you, Tell us again about Curtis Conway never returning a kickoff in his entire USC career you brainless dolt! Nobody stinks up this blog more than you, Board Dunce aka Board Coward, Zero Football IQ Charlie Bucket the UCLA Fan aka Cowardly Gabby/TebowObama

        Liked by 1 person

      16. Gabby fucked with me again. He knew Conway returned kickoffs while at USC. But intentionally said Conway never returned kickoffs knowing it would trigger my paranoia and get under my skin, it worked!

        I immediately went into a manic OCD rage and fired off zinger after zinger after zinger calling out his antics. While he was laughing his ass off. I was a mental mess last night and could not sleep knowing I took Gabby’s bait

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      20. Never said I didn’t to college… So stop the fucking lying before I give you a good ass whipping…. Pussy boy

        Like

      21. Gabby (original)
        JULY 8, 2023 AT 3:06 AM
        no one is going to fight someone over comments made in a blog…..plow is an old man just popping off…and you fucking know it……

        Like

      23. I wrote “Div II/FCS”. Every one of those schools Fired listed qualify, as they are FCS.

        As stupid as crying about Pasadena writing “2024 or next year”, as if he was saying they were two different things. He wasn’t.

        Liked by 2 people

      24. you senile sack of shit….you typed “Div II”….. FCS is not Div II …….Quit making shit
        up…. Name the schools or look like a fucking uneducated idiot….you have zero football IQ….embarrassing

        Typical fucking narcissists, can’t admit when he’s clearly wrong…..when in the fuck are you going to take your ass whipping from Gabby….pussy boy

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      25. You are the chicken!

        Gabby (original)
        JULY 8, 2023 AT 3:06 AM
        no one is going to fight someone over comments made in a blog…..plow is an old man just popping off…and you fucking know it……

        Like

      26. Says the limp dick pussy boy who hides from Gabby… That’s the real chicken… Gabby has called that hunchback out many many many times but he goes crickets

        Like

      27. Showing again that she can’t read.

        And narcissist?! As many have noted, no bigger one on here than her! Has to bitch about anything & everything just to get attention.

        Liked by 1 person

      28. YOU FUCKING TYPED “Div II”…. So what part did I get wrong. I read it fine. But you are too much of a sociopath to admit you’re wrong. Instead, you want me to believe something different.

        Name the D2 schools or admit you screwed up…

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      29. FCS is not D2!. Like a little bitch MAGAT, you prefer to argue about it instead of admiting you’re wrong…. I love slapping you around like a pinata… HAHA!

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      32. gametv
        JUNE 21, 2023 AT 4:19 PM
        Democrat = zero integrity.

        Just admit it. Democrats are now the new nexus of racial strife and injustice, forever wars, ridiculous economic theories (MMT), covering up corruption, government regulatory agency capture, shipping middle class jobs overseas to China, media subservience to K Street, intelligence agency interference in domestic politics, Wall Street and private equity schemes to financialize the wealth of Americans into their own pockets and a politicized Justice Department.

        Like

      34. try to stop your lies.

        Gabby (original)
        JULY 8, 2023 AT 3:06 AM
        no one is going to fight someone over comments made in a blog…..plow is an old man just popping off…and you fucking know it……

        Like

  3. Bring back Grinchm he wouldn’t have given up those 2 ridiculous Webfoot ads to start the game

    (Side Note in Football Contest)
    Previous balance 34,000
    1000 on Michigan over Penn St (Won)
    New balance– 35,000

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  7. So Riley was 55-10 at Oklahoma. Just confirms what a weak conference that was. Pre-Riley, but Oklahoma getting into the BCS title games instead of USC in 2003 and 2008 still pisses me off. It helped the SEC gain prominence. We all know what happened in 2004 when both did.

    Liked by 3 people

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  9. Is it odd I like to smell and lick used USC jock straps after games? My mom likes to eat ass from dogs after they defecate. My therapist said I should talk about my likes and dislikes.

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      3. I knew you couldn’t stay sane for a whole day, you disgusting lying psycho. Getting humiliated by Plow Horse seemed to stun you into silence but unfortunately it didn’t last and now you are back ruining the board.

        Like

  10. USC gave up 400+ passing, but not so much rushing as in past games. Maybe a new DC and scheme will correct things, but Donte Williams needs to go. Caleb Williams was running for his life. High school recruiting needs to improve, especially for linemen. Having said all that, the score was closer than I thought it would be. Should beat UCLA and win the Holiday Bowl. USC his a work-in-progress … hire a competent DC and a 5-star QB transfer wouldn’t hurt.

    Liked by 2 people

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      1. OMFG, SC is NOWHERE near being able to compete with the big dogs, they’re having trouble with the ankle biters these days.

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      2. This clown CR SMITH has been making excuses for Grinch and especially those two idiots Shaun Nua and Donte Williams all fucking year baaically saying, Oh they’ll come around”.

        Another fucking fanboy that doesn’t know shit!

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      3. Only a true fucking fanboy idiot would believe USC is, “not that far off” in terms of being a contender for either a conference or national title.

        Liked by 1 person

      4. I would caution you on that comment CR. Without Caleb, the Ducks would have crushed us horribly. There might have been 10 sacks without Caleb. This team lives by the inspiration it gets from Caleb, so even the defense would be worse without Caleb. We will have a mediocre QB next year (probably).

        The trajectory of the team is also not good, so there is ALOT to fix/change.

        There are many talented athletes on the roster, they just need to make them into football players on a team.

        Liked by 1 person

    3. I agree… the. D hot burned twice on the 2 opening possessions by OR after which it was tit gor tat back and forth but the damage was done.

      Before all keep screaming about sacking Riley look around at 2nd yr coaches elsewhere this year and yes they don’t have Caleb Williams but they also haven’t produced 3 Heisman winners in 5 years either.

      Fickell – WI Freemsn – the princess Venables – OK…..It’s a disappointment but it’s also fixable with a good DC.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. Coaches like LR are not fixable – the issue isn’t just the defensive coordinator – its an overall attitude/culture – there has never been a coach of his type that has ever been anything other than the flavor of the month. His refusing to be accountable tells anyone who knows how successful organizations function that he is not capable of handling a position of this magnitude. They are just wasting more years by continuing with him, just like they did with his predecessors, or Hackett, or Tollner. Larry Smith at least came close to turning the corner (albeit with Tollner’s recruits).

        Liked by 1 person

      4. Board Coward, Zero Football IQ Charlie Bucket the UCLA Fan aka Cowardly Gabby/TebowObama, you admitted you lied!

        Gabby (original)
        JULY 8, 2023 AT 3:06 AM
        no one is going to fight someone over comments made in a blog…..plow is an old man just popping off…and you fucking know it……

        Liked by 1 person

  12. See what A&M just did to Fisher ? That’s what SC needs to do after the ugly game to Riley or their going to have 2-3-4 more years of this termite eating at the foundation, he has to go NOW, Just look at his fucking comments after the game, no coach with balls says that shit except guys like Riley and Helton, both fucking losers.

    Liked by 1 person

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      1. SC has run out of rich donors ? Don’t they have Arab kids whose daddy’s are filthy rich ? Tell daddy to pony up or Junior gets expelled

        Liked by 1 person

      5. Board Coward, Zero Football IQ Charlie Bucket the UCLA Fan aka Cowardly Gabby/TebowObama, you admitted you lied!

        Here’s Board Coward, Zero Football IQ Charlie Bucket the UCLA Fan aka Cowardly Gabby/TebowObama admitting all:

        Gabby (original)
        JULY 8, 2023 AT 3:06 AM
        no one is going to fight someone over comments made in a blog…..plow is an old man just popping off…and you fucking know it……

        Liked by 1 person

  13. Memo to Riley, sit down and watch the second half of the Michigan vs. PSU game yesterday. Pay particular attention to the play calls from Michigan. Michigan threw the ball ZERO times in the second half and scored 10 points. Now, I know that you would never even consider doing that, you know, running the ball and playing stout defense, but it worked, it was boring but Michigan won. Any guesses as to what Michigan is going to do to your team next year ?

    Liked by 1 person

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      2. You know. A balanced focus. Who the hell would bring a grinch over, with his record, to a blue blood? Just look at the last 20 nattys. You’ll see a trend. It’s not a Mike Leach pyramid of success. Oh and stop the weak la la la talk at pressers. Would any of the greats minimize such poor play or coaching weaknesses. You see a Saban or for that matter a Lanning talk like that? The kids are trying but our coaches are coaching soft. Rant over.

        Liked by 1 person

      4. Board Dunce aka Board Coward, Zero Football IQ Charlie Bucket the UCLA Fan aka Cowardly Gabby/TebowObama is afraid to fight Plow Horse,

        Plow Horse
        JUNE 22, 2023 AT 9:57 PM
        Gabby:

        You have offended my wife, my mother and my father. All sexual inferences. I let the first two go because they are both deceased but not my wife. You are the one who offended my family, not visa versa. I have never brought your wife or parents into anything. It is therefore my call – boxing gym in Pasadena CA, Mr. tough guy. Give me a date and I will make the arrangements. Stop being a chickensh*t.

        And nobody believes you are friends with Dana White. If you ever read the news, he is a staunch conservative who left the country during Covid so that the Dems. couldn’t shut down UFC. He wouldn’t allow a pussy leftist like yourself anywhere near his octagon. Rummaging the dumpster outside of the premises for plastic bottles redeemable for 20 cents doesn’t mean you know Dana White you leftist, racist, pussy.

        Give me available dates.

        Liked by 2 people

      1. Riley is very different than Helton. He isnt a mental midget, he is simply is not an effective head coach right now.

        If Riley thinks he can be the same person and make external changes and have things go well, he is mistaken. Anyone with a problem needs to realize that they need to change, not try to change others or the situation around them. If he wont change himself, he will only create a different version of the previous failures.

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      3. Riley is exactly like Helton. Both play soft football, neither recruit the lines, neither take defense seriously, neither can fire their buds on the staff, it’s endless.

        If Riley is such an ” offensive genius ” what can’t he see that his OL can’t block for shit and adjust accordingly? Why won’t he run the ball when his backs are getting 8 yards a pop ? I’ll tell you why, because that’s not what Leach taught him, he CANNOT adjust and he WON’T adjust.

        Enjoy next year and years to come, 5-6, 7-5, 4-7 are going to be the norm with this ass as the coach

        Liked by 5 people

      4. You sound like the typical armchair quarterback……Clueless!

        go fuck yourself with one of your sock puppets…pussy boy!!!!

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  16. Relax anti-SCers the season is almost over

    But there are few good teams with Penn St and Mississippi finding out they are mere pretenders to Michigan and Georgia, followed by Ohio St and Alabama and maybe Florida St with the winner of Washington v Oregon (probably the Ducks) in the mix

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      2. Here’s Board Coward, Zero Football IQ Charlie Bucket the UCLA Fan aka Cowardly Gabby/TebowObama admitting she is the coward of the county:

        Gabby (original)
        JULY 8, 2023 AT 3:06 AM
        no one is going to fight someone over comments made in a blog…..plow is an old man just popping off…and you fucking know it……

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Since that obviously isnt going to happen, let’s hope he gets help in evaluating his deficiencies and decides to take action.

      I think Jen Cohen should level with him. Lincoln, if you are unwilling to change, you will have a miserable time here. USC fans are NOT OK with 9-3, 7-5 seasons and you will need to hide out in your mansion from daggers that will be thrown your way in public. Your kids will be tormented in school, your reputation will be dragged through the mud. You have a thin skin and wont do well mentally with this level of stress.

      So you can either take change seriously, or resign, because the current path is a disaster.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  19. There is still some national interest in the one American inter-city rivalry of SC vs sucla as evidenced by Channel 7 showing the game at 12:30.
    There was a time this game mattered but both teams’ fans are so negative I am not sure anybody cares much any more except for a few

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      1. Board Coward, Zero Football IQ Charlie Bucket the UCLA Fan aka Cowardly Gabby/TebowObama, you admitted you lied!

        Here’s Board Coward, Zero Football IQ Charlie Bucket the UCLA Fan aka Cowardly Gabby/TebowObama admitting all:

        Gabby (original)
        JULY 8, 2023 AT 3:06 AM
        no one is going to fight someone over comments made in a blog…..plow is an old man just popping off…and you fucking know it……

        Like

      1. you stupid low-IQ dunce….. Are you trying to say the 2006 game was
        meaningless? The loss to UCLA kept the team from winning another natty, you dipshit….You’re a fucking no football-IQ pest…

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    1. The fact is you are living in the past gramps. This rivalry has been meaningless in terms of the national title the last 30 years except for the 2006 game where UCLA knocked USC out of the national playoff 13-9. Michigan- Ohio State is much more important nationally to college football fans.

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      2. You need to stop your lies and go away.

        Gabby (original)
        JULY 8, 2023 AT 3:06 AM
        no one is going to fight someone over comments made in a blog…..plow is an old man just popping off…and you fucking know it……

        Like

      3. If playing for a national title is the litmus test for a potentially good rivalry game then there will be rampant disappointment

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  22. Anyone shilling for Stinkin Piley at this point is worse than a fanboy, they’re a never learn. That said, maybe Texas A&M will take him off our hands? One can dream.

    Liked by 1 person

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