SI.com’s Inside College Football guru Stewart Mandel knows a thing or two about collegiate pigskin. And if he’s learned anything over the years, it’s don’t doubt the Trojans. Unfortunately, his readers have not yet picked up on this wisdom. When an Oregon fan asked, “[I]s this finally the year USC’s streak of Pac-10 titles comes to an end?,” Mandel responded:

I still have more faith in a USC team featuring an untested QB and eight new defensive starters than in any of the teams you mentioned.

Those teams being: Oregon, Cal and Oregon State. Mandel later continued:

USC’s reign atop the Pac-10 will come to an end eventually, but I learned long ago to stop doubting Pete Carroll’s ability to reload. Two years ago, the Trojans suffered as bad an injury rash as I’ve seen, lost to a 41-point underdog (Stanford), lost a second Pac-10 game (at Oregon) … and still won the conference. So yes, USC may be somewhat vulnerable this season; the question is, will it matter?

Ouch, Mandel. Rip it off quick like a bandaid.