Pac-10’s sad pack packs it in

Reports continued to circulate that USC is attempting to jump from the hapless Pacific-10 Conference to the powerful Mountain West. The Trojans say they need some decent competition and want to play in a conference that has a little prestige.

Meanwhile, the Pac-10, in an obvious ploy to take over the Bottom Ten, seized Nos. 8-14 in the rankings after a series of disastrous losses.

Elsewhere, Syracuse (0-3) retained No. 1 with a 13-55 loss to Penn State.

Rich Rodriguez, Michigan’s new coach, was accused of destroying his West Virginia player files when he left that school in the off-season. How long before he starts to shred his Michigan player files?

Let’s give the SMUs (1-2), debuting at No. 16, a warm welcome.

x-Inadvertent asterisk; please resume reading.

11. UCLA (1-1); 12. Arizona (2-1); 13. Oregon St. (1-2); 14. Arizona St. (2-1); 15. Anyone else from the Pac-10 that you want to put in there; 16. The SMUs (1-2); 17. Ole Miss St. (1-2); 18. South Carolina (1-2); 19. Gone Fishing; 20. Ohio St. (2-1).

Others receiving votes: Virginia (1-2).

Others not receiving votes: USC (2-0).

Rout of the week: Idle over Michigan (1-2).

Note to distraught Ohio State fans: Relax. You don’t have to play USC again. Your opponent is Troy University. Of course, Troy is undefeated …