No bowl game and finish number six in the rankings? That's not so bad for the USC Trojans, as it sets up for a spectacular 2012 campaign.

USC finished sixth overall in the AP Poll, just beating out the team they lost to head-to-head, the Stanford Cardinal, losers of the Fiesta Bowl. USC's non-performance wasn't enough to beat out Alabama (your undisputed national champions), LSU (national champion losers, although perhaps finishing with the most accomplished regular season of them all), Oklahoma State (Fiesta Bowl champions), Oregon (Rose Bowl champions) and Arkansas (Cotton Bowl champions).

With a lot of prominent players (particularly Matt Barkley) coming back for USC, you have to think they'll figure to be around this spot come the 2012 preseason. USC will probably have a chance to be the top Pac-12 team, although Oregon figures to be right there with them.

To discuss USC and the college football rankings, head to Conquest Chronicles.