It’s over!

WOOOOOOOHOOOOOOO!!!!!!

For those who feel deprived by not being able to hear Conquest at the end of the game because ABC cut away to the Virginia Tech-Florida State game, here you go:

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And here’s Fanfare/Tribute to Troy/Fight On, just for good measure:

UPDATE: In spite of UCLA’s two garbage-time touchdowns, it was the largest margin of victory in the USC-UCLA series since 1930.

BEAT THE LONGHORNS!!!

USC 52, UCLA 6, 0:55 left in the 3rd.

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UPDATE: Now 59-6, with 7:21 to go.

USC 45, UCLA 6, 6:12 to go, third quarter!

UCLA isn’t defying the odds, but Hurricane Epsilon is:

…EPSILON STRENGTHENS AGAINST ALL ODDS…

SATELLITE IMAGES INDICATE THAT MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 80 MPH…130 KM/HR…WITH HIGHER GUSTS. HOWEVER…EPSILON SHOULD BEGIN TO WEAKEN LATER TONIGHT.

The Storm Track says it could be even stronger than that:

[T]he storm is remarkably symmetric. This is a very impressive hurricane for the central Atlantic in December. NHC’s advisory strength of 80 mph winds is actually selling Epsilon short. Recent satellite estimates are placing the hurricane’s winds near 90 mph. Epsilon is truly an amazing storm considering its strength and location.

It is amazing that Epsilon has strengthened given its location. NHC notes that the only factor that should physically be contributing positively towards Epsilon’s strength is the upper level temperature. Beyond that, cooler sea surface temperatures (SSTs) and an increasingly hostile environment should have caused Epsilon to weaken by now. Especially considering the cool water below Epsilon, the hurricane was expected to transition to an extratropical storm by now. However, there are no signs of that transition occurring. In fact, the GFDL model is maintaining Epsilon as a warm-core system for the foreseeable future.

Seeing no physical processes capable of continuing to support Epsilon as a hurricane, the forecast does continue to call for Epsilon to weaken. However, this has been the forecast for days now. This hurricane, like Vince before it, seems to have no concern for precedent and the laws of physics. The models are no longer tracking Epsilon towards the northeast and instead are pushing Epsilon due east in the short term. The result of this is that Epsilon will not be traveling over as dramatically cooler SSTs. In a few days in Epsilon is still intact, which is expected at least as a remnant low, the models are now turning the system to the south. This will bring whatever is left of the storm back over warmer waters. Things just keep getting more interesting. This is a truly unusual hurricane!

I long ago passed the point where anything surprises me in the 2005 hurricane season. (Vince was the clincher, really.)

That “20-foot leap” I mentioned? Here it is:

Here’s another view: [UPDATE: Actually this is a different play. Same defender, though. Heh.]

Incidentally, the NCAA Division I-A record for rushing yards in a game is 406 yards. Reggie Bush has 229 at halftime.

Trojans 31, Bruins 6, 1:08 left in the first half.

How long do we have to wait before we start chanting “Beat the Longhorns!” when we hear Conquest?

UPDATE: Still 31-6 at halftime. Reggie Bush has 229 rushing yards on 18 carries. Add in his 12 kick-return yards, and combine it with his 513 all-purpose yards against Fresno State two weeks ago, and he’s got 754 all-purpose yards in the last six quarters of play. Holy Heisman, Batman!

Meanwhile, the SEC championship game is underway, and Georgia leads LSU 7-0.

ABC announcer Dan Fouts on Reggie Bush: “It’s like he’s playing a game of Quidditch, the way he runs. Quidditch is a game from Harry Potter, as you know.” LOL!

BEAT THE BRUINS!!!

UPDATE: Matt Leinart is looking like crap so far, thanks to the combination of the heavy wind and perhaps Senior Day nerves. Er, and maybe something with his hamstring? Eek! Hope he’s okay! Anyway, USC managed only a field goal on its opening drive. 3-0 Trojans.

UPDATE 2: 10-0!

UPDATE 3: 24-0!

Best offensive sequence of the game: 1) Dwayne Jarrett hits Matt Leinart with the WORST PASS EVER for a trick-play first down; 2) Matt Leinart randomly falls down; 3) Reggie Bush leaps 20 feet in the air, scores a touchdown, confuses the hell out of crap-ass ABC announcer Keith Jackson.

UPDATE 4: The Bruins have now managed two field goals, and it’s 24-6 Trojans. Leinart continues to look like crap. Poor guy, you don’t want to play like this on Senior Day.

Meanwhile, with 3:20 left in the first half, Bush already has 200 yards rushing.

It’s Texas 70, Colorado 3, midway through the third quarter.

This raises the question: can a win be too impressive? I mean, suppose Texas wins 91 to 3. When you look at that score, what’s your first reaction: “Wow, Texas is good,” or “Wow, Colorado sucks”?

P.S. And, more importantly, will ABC cut away from this debacle of a “championship game” when 4:30 rolls around? I certainly hope so.

Alexis and Nathan have another post about GameDay, and also, pictures from The Walk:

Fight on, Reggie! HEIS-MAN! HEIS-MAN!

Speaking of which, Vince Young is 14-of-17 with 193 passing yards and 3 passing TDs, and has 8 carries for 57 yards and a rushing touchdown, as Texas leads 49-3 over Craporado early in the third quarter.

I think Bush already has the Heisman locked up (see StiffArmTrophy.com), but Young’s performance today could make it quite a bit closer than it otherwise would have been. Of course, Bush gets the chance to make the final statement.

Does anyone out there have some Trojan Marching Band MP3s that you could send me? I’m not trying to steal copyrighted music — I legitimately own a TMB album, but the CD is back in Connecticut and I lost my MP3s when my laptop was stolen. I’d just like to be able to play “Conquest,” “Tribute to Troy” and so forth after this afternoon’s glorious victory! If anyone has these files and wouldn’t mind sending them to me, my e-mail address is tips[at]brendanloy.com. Thanks! Fight on!

UPDATE: I was able to download the above-mentioned songs from Audioblog, where I had previously uploaded them, but the audio quality is subpar. If anyone has a direct-from-CD ripped version, that would be great.

Texas and Colorado are underway in the Big 12 title game.

UPDATE: 14-0 Texas already.

UPDATE 2: Now 28-3, early in the second quarter. Yikes.

UPDATE 3: Now 35-3, and I’m switching to the Army-Navy game. :)

Alexis and Nathan have added more pictures to their Best GameDay signs post. I have a new favorite:

LOL!

This one is funny, too. And you gotta love this one, given that it was like 7:00 in the morning. :)

Also, here’s a picture of Corso and Kirk making their picks on the USC-UCLA game:

More GameDay coverage at From the Sidelines.

From the Sidelines is having a contest for the best GameDay sign. I gotta vote for this one — or rather, these ones:

Heh.

…is that when there are no interesting games on (sorry, George O’Leary), you can always watch basketball instead.

Less than an hour till Texas-Colorado. That one should be interesting… for at least five minutes or so.

P.S. Speaking of which, today the phrase “GO IRISH!” sounds suspiciously like “HOOK ‘EM HORNS!” … especially for those who have already bought plane tickets to Arizona…

Hook ‘em, Horns, for old Notre Dame
Beat down the Buff’loes, show ‘em your game
Send a Vince Young pass on high
Haul down a touchdown from the sky
For Irish fans, the stakes are not small
Texas must win, Colorado must fall
So that we can all go marching
To the Fiesta Bowl!

Of course, a Texas loss doesn’t mean Notre Dame is left out of the BCS. Most likely, it just sends us to the Orange Bowl. But, the emphasis there is on “most likely.” A Texas win would eliminate any possibility of a surprise trip to the Meineke Car Care Bowl (a scenario that depends on USC, Texas, LSU and Virginia Tech all losing).

A win by the Longhorns would also seriously reduce the risk of a lame Notre Dame-West Virginia Sugar Bowl (a scenario that probably depends on Texas losing, LSU winning and probably either USC or Virginia Tech losing… though it could still happen if Texas wins but USC loses, LSU jumps Penn State for the #2 spot — which, again, probably means VT needs to lose — and the Fiesta Bowl chooses someone other than Notre Dame to play USC).

If Texas wins, it would almost certainly be Notre Dame vs. Ohio State/Oregon/Auburn in the Fiesta Bowl (if USC wins), Notre Dame vs. USC in the Fiesta Bowl (if UCLA wins), or Notre Dame vs. Virginia Tech/Florida State in the Orange Bowl (if the Fiesta Bowl passes on the Irish).