It’s amazing to see the entire country suddenly waking up to the reality that USC football is incredibly good. Exhibit A: Carson Palmer, #4 last week, is now ranked #1 in CNNSI.com’s Heisman Watch. And rightfully so.

Out here on the West Coast, we’ve known for weeks that Palmer is the nation’s best player and the Trojans are one of the nation’s best teams. (The best, if you judge based on how well they’re playing right now. Unfortunately, the Trojans probably won’t have a chance to prove that because of two early-season losses.) But it took a nationally televised stomping of Notre Dame — who, let’s face it, turns out to have really sucked — to make the rest of the country take notice.

Although USC’s regular season is over, much remains to be determined. The first big moment of truth will come tomorrow when the new BCS standings are released. Will USC leapfrog Iowa and move into the #4 spot that would, if they hold it at the end of next week, guarantee the Trojans a big-money bowl? (CNNSI thinks so.) Will Notre Dame drop out of the BCS Top 12 and put the rest of the college football world out of the Irish’s misery? (Probably not.)

Then come the big games next weekend. There’s Miami-Virginia Tech, Georgia-Arkansas, and Washington State-UCLA. What USC needs — in order to be absolutely, positively guaranteed a BCS spot — is a win by either Arkansas or UCLA (or both). As for Miami-Virginia Tech, the significance of that game lies in its potential national-championship implications for the Trojans if both Miami and Georgia lose. Could 10-2 USC get into the Fiesta Bowl in place of two 11-1 teams, Iowa and Miami? CNNSI thinks it’s possible; ESPN apparently doesn’t. I think it could happen, but probably only if Miami loses badly to Virginia Tech — a blowout loss, or a loss in which the Hurricanes just really look awful — such that at least one poll, and preferably both, drop them all the way down to #4 (behind both Iowa and USC).

Anyway… Go Razorbacks! Go Hokies! GO BRUINS!!!

UPDATE, 2:01 AM: The New York Times computer ratings, which have loved USC all season, now have the Trojans ranked #1 in the country — yep, ahead of both undefeated teams — according to nytimes.com. Hooray! That’ll definitely help us pass Iowa…