This was so crazy at one point, all of USC's demons disappearing, all of their potential roaring, that Carroll claimed an unnamed football executive called the officials at halftime and ordered them to give his team a 15-yard penalty if they didn't halt the sideline celebrations.
"I was going to get the penalty called on us just so we could get a penalty called on us for having too much fun," Carroll said. "I forgot."
Will the journalist voters forget?
They shouldn't. They didn't forget when USC won the Associated Press vote and split the national title after the 2003 season. They never forget when they have a chance to stick it to the BCS.
Voters now have less reason to hold the loss against Oregon State against USC, and no reason to hold their lack of fulfilled potential against them.
Once again, the Trojans have waited until their final kick to show their best stride. Once again, it is more powerful than anything anybody has shown until now.
You say, isn't it too late? I say, it never is.
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bill.plaschke@latimes.com
