Published: Thursday, November 03, 2011

By MATTHEW OSBORNE
mosborne@trentonian.com

I can’t begin to count the number of times my father and I have watched a game together while doing the math over and over, only to come up with the same answer.

“You know, Pops,” I would say, “The only way you can cover now is if some triple-overtime shenanigans happen.”

Usually, that moment never comes. When it finally did last weekend, Pops was on the other side — allegedly the safe side — with USC getting eight points.

As the Trojans battled Stanford and led most of the game, it looked impossible for USC not to cover, even if Andrew Luck heroically led the Cardinal back.

But he did, and USC didn’t cover.

Some folks like Pops salvaged a push, but others had the Trojans with 7½ and left with a loss snatched from almost certain victory.

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-- Follow Matthew Osborne on twitter @trentonianozzy