re: Who will be the next non SEC team to win it all?

If USC doesn't do it in 2012 it will be a couple of years before a non-SEC team wins the championship.

USC is built to compete for one next year, but as their scholarship reductions kick in, they are less likely every year after that. But Lane Kiffin has been masterful in the way that he's recruited in anticipation of the reductions. He's recruited large classes and even this year when the reductions are supposed to kick in, he will be taking in early enrollees that will count towards last year allowing him to bring in 4 or 5 more than he otherwise could.

Plus they are still bringing in elite recruits. He pulled a couple of offers from people already committed a couple of weeks ago, so he probably has some high profile commits still to come. I had doubts that they could play at a championship level for the next 5 years, but I'm starting to reconsider. He appears to be a very good judge of talent and remember that Butch Davis built Miami's championship teams while on similar probation. They only got better throughout probation.

Matt Barkley for Heisman.

Or should it be Robert Woods?

#1 QB and #1 WR in the country next year? Only lose 1 starting offensive lineman? Return almost every on a very young defense?

Ya, USC is the smart pick next year.

I can't believe how good Robert Woods was this year as a true Sophmore, 4th in the country in receptions and now a projected Top 10 draft pick in 2013. Just sick.

And they actually say Lee is better...

USC will most likely have the QB and possibly a receiver along with a few offensive linemen who would be considered "better" when HONESTLY compared position-by-position to LSU next season.

LSU will have the following advantages off the top of my head:

1. Coaching. And please let's not call Lane Kiffin "masterful" or "great" when he's had 1 good season in his entire head football coaching career! (He did get wasted by Arizona State this year)

2. Defense. Not even close. Several of Kiffin's defenses as a head football coach have been shredded.

3. RB. LSU returns all of their RB corps.

4. Special Teams.

5. Schedule. Weak schedules do not prepare teams well when you have to play a battle-tested opponent in the NCG.

6. Depth. For all of the reasons stated several times throughout the thread.

7. 2003! Barkley said "USC has some serious unfinished business" I fricken agree. This is 9 - 10 years in the making. They are due for an arse whipping from LSU.

I am sure there is plenty more to add to that list. And Merry Christmas everyone!

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I said in a previous thread that USC, Texas, Florida State, and Miami are the only programs that's capable of beating elite SEC teams consistently. Miami will be hammered out by the NCAA so they're out. It's going to be either USC, Texas, or Florida State.

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Your premise is wrong, and therefore your conclusion is, too. Winning one title doesn't require consistent victories over an SEC team. Assuming said team doesn't play an elite SEC team during the regular season (and most of the big names don't), at most they'd only need to win once.

Texas in 2-3 years after Saban arrives.