Simers potshots ...

It was Pacific 10 Conference media day, USC Coach Pete Carroll fielding questions about possibly winning a third consecutive national title, UCLA Coach Karl Dorrell expressing hope his team might beat San Diego State.

"Business as usual," Carroll said, although I don't think he was referring to the Bruins' lofty goal of beating a Mountain West doormat.

"It would be a tremendous step for the guys to get to 1-0," Dorrell said, and I know I got goose bumps just thinking about such a thing. "They haven't been 1-0 the past two years."

My Trojans, of course, hope to go 13-0 for the second consecutive year, the season ending in a Jan. 4 Rose Bowl win for another national title, which raises the question -- just how big is that gap right now between the Trojans and the Bruins?

"There is no gap," Bruin running back Maurice Drew said, and for the record I offered him the opportunity to take that back before making fun of him.

"We put our pants on just like they do," Drew said, although playing sometimes as if they have fallen around the Bruins' ankles (see Wyoming in the Las Vegas Bowl).

"Every game on Saturday a team can lose," Drew said, and the Bruins have proven that far too often (see last season's belly-flop against Washington State).

"Everyone starts off with a clean slate," Drew persisted. "I don't see [USC] being better than UCLA. You put us against the Patriots, and I'm still going to think that we've got a chance to win."

I suggested a reality check might be in order, and Drew said he'd be waiting for me after each game, pointing to the Bruins' schedule in the school's media guide, his finger running down the page until it stopped on USC, and suggesting it will mean something when it comes to the final standings.

My finger stopped at Oklahoma, the third game, and said I'd be right there in front of Drew's locker for the first big reality check.