We beat more 10 win teams, more 9 win teams, trailed in fewer games for
fewer quarters, had 3 games with a MOV in the single digits, never
relinquished a lead, 43% of the points scored aganist our #1 D were when
we were up by 20 or more points, and only 1 opponent out of 13 had the
ball in the 4th quarter with a chance to tie or beat us.

USC had 1 fewer win against 9+ and 10+ teams, trailed in 7 games for
more quarters, had 5 games with a MOV in the single digits, relinquished
2 leads, had only ~20% of the points scored on its D when USC was up by
20 or more points, and had 5 opponents that possessed the ball in the
4th quarter with a chance to lead.


Against Auburn, only 1 team had the ball in the 4th quarter with a
chance to tie or take the lead (LSU).

USC: 5 different teams had that chance (UCLA, Va Tech, Cal, Oregon St.,
Stanford)
Only Oregon St. did not have a chance to take the lead in the 4th
quarter.


Wins over 10 win teams:

AU: 4
UT, UGA, UT, VT

USC: 3
VT, Cal, OU

AU won more games against 10 win teams than any other team in the
nation, USC included.

Wins over 9 win teams
AU: 5
LSU, UT, UGA, UT, VT

USC: 4
VT, Cal, ASU, OU


AU won more games against 9 win teams than any other team in the nation,
USC included.


Average margin of victory

Auburn 22.3
USC 24.3


Strength of schedule

According to CBS Sportsline:
Auburn #19
USC #25

According to the NCAA:

Auburn #5
USC #18


Single Digit Margin of Victory

AU: 3
LSU: 1 point, Home Game.
UA: 8 point, Road Game.
VT: 3 point, Bowl Game.

USC: 4
Stanford: 3 point, Road Game.
Cal: 6 point, Home Game.
OSU: 8 point, Road Game.
UCLA: 5 point, Road Game.


AU gave up 147 points all season, the lowest point total in the nation.
Of those 147 points, 64 were given up when AU was up by 20 or more
points. Thus, 43.5% of all AU points allowed were when the game was in
hand.


USC gave up 169 points all season, the fourth lowest point total in the
nation. Of those 169 points, only 34 were given up when USC was up by 20
or more points. Thus 20.1% of all USC's points allowed were when the
game was in hand.


AU trailed 2 times in 2 games all season.

Against LSU, AU trailed until late in the 4th.
Against UA, AU trailed until three minutes into the third, never to
relinquish the lead.
AU has trailed at the end of 5 quarters all season, and never trailed
once they got the lead.


USC has trailed 7 times this season, in 7 games.

Against VT, USC trailed in the second quarter to regain the lead in the
third, never to trail again.
Against BYU, USC trailed in the first but never trailed at the end of a
quarter.
Against Stanford, USC trailed from the second through 6:15 of the third
quarter, never to trail again.
Against OSU, USC trailed the first and second quarters, regained early
in the third never to trail again.
Against Arizona, USC trailed in the first quarter through the first 5
seconds of the second quarter, never to trail again.
Against Notre Dame, USC trailed in the first quarter until the end of
the second quarter, never to trail again.
Against Oklahoma, USC trailed 7-0 in the first quarter, never to trail
again.

USC has trailed at the end of 7 quarters this year, and has only
relinquished the lead twice all season.

AU has never trailed by more than 6 points all season.  USC trailed by 2
scores in two games.

The SEC has 4 teams in the top 20 (AP).
Average ranking: 9.5

The Pac-10 has 3 teams in the top 20 (AP).
Average ranking: 9.67


Average ranking of top 3 teams
SEC: 7.33
Pac-10: 9.67


Auburn was outgained by 2 teams in total yards:
LSU: 308-301
Virginia Tech: 375-299

USC was outgained by 1 team:
Cal: 424-205 (that is not a misprint)