Will a year make a Difference?(college football)

Southern California got its top 20 ranking because of what Ute Trojans did last season. Now, if they can avoid repealing last season ...

Somewhere on Southern California's campus, senior Jeff Trepagnier wanders around an empty practice facility in street clothes, not eligible to play. Somewhere in Hawaii, where the Trojans are playing one of those holiday tournaments, senior Jarvis Turner sits on the bench while his knee recuperates after arthroscopic surgery. Meanwhile, four USC starters are averaging 30 to 35 minutes each game.

The fates again are twisting these talented Trojans into knots. They fell to Mississippi in OT of the semis of the Yahoo! Invitational in Hawaii alter blowing a 5-point lead with 46 seconds left in regulation. That loss came just days after edging Pepperdine by three and walloping UC Santa Barbara and Cal State Northridge by an 11-point total.

This smells familiar. Injuries, questionable depth, close calls-are we refrying the Trojans' dismal finish to last season or what?

Not necessarily.

This team is ranked 16th in the country. It could be the best team in school history. USC hasn't been to the NCAA Tournament since 1997, but with Brian Scalabrine, Brandon Granville, Sam Clancy, David Bluthenthal and Trepagnier, the Trojans could be dominant in March--if they can get there in one piece.

Clancy and Turner remember the blur that night. Their teammates were playing with Arizona, a team USC had beaten just four of its last 28 tries.