Michigan as noted, was a big upset, though the Wolverines weren't ranked at the time (looking at my Media Guide). If ranking is a factor then beating Purdue in 2005 when they were ranked 11th was the last big upset. It doesn't feel like it now but remember Purdue had beaten the Gophers 7 straight times before that game and hadn't beat them since Wacker did it in 1995!
All that aside, beating USC would be HUGE for the Gophers. The nation is discounting USC to an extent to be sure, but they also expect the Trojans to hammer Minnesota, Vegas bookies aside.
Everyone remembers when Minnesota had the big upset against #2 Penn State in 1999. What nearly everybody forgets is that Penn State ended-up with two more losses that season and finished 5-3 in the Big Ten. Penn State went 5-6 and 5-7 the next two years. Heck, after a 9-4 year and a 5-3 Big Ten season in 2002 the Lions finished NINTH in the Big Ten the next two years!
Did any of that discount the upset in 1999?
HELL NO!!!!
Penn State had ranking and a great program. Minnesota had neither.
USC is not the USC of the last 10-15 years. They are though, 2-0 and they are still USC. Beating them would be a great story, despite the fact that the focus of Sunday's local papers and radio pukes will be on trying to down play it. That's the
only thing you can count on.
Honestly given the last 40 years of the respective programs does anybody honestly think that the hopelessness and despair felt by every real Gophers fan after last week; does anybody think that real USC fans wouldn't feel the same way if the Trojans are on the wrong end of today's scoreboard?
I've got a USC "semi-alumni" in the immediate family. Trust me, if it's possible, they may feel worse.
