Marlon Lucky and the Cornhuskers will face Wake Forest on Saturday before taking on USC. AP

Stewart Mandel's first book, Bowls, Polls and Tattered Souls: Tackling the Chaos and Controversy that Reign Over College Football, is available for purchase now. Order your copy today.

MAILBAG Submit a question or an opinion to Stewart. Your name: Your e-mail address: Your home town: Enter your question:

At this point in time, what do you see as a bigger advantage leading up to the Nebraska-USC Sept. 15 showdown: USC's week of rest after playing Idaho or Nebraska's two weeks of experience playing Nevada and Wake Forest?
--Thom Roose, Cincinnati

If this were later in the season, I'd say USC, because the week off gives tailback Chauncey Washington, receiver Patrick Turner and any other banged-up players an extra week to heal. But the Trojans didn't exactly look like a well-oiled machine in their opener -- if anything, they looked like they were going through the motions -- and I'm sure Pete Carroll would love another tune-up prior to facing the Huskers. Meanwhile, Nebraska couldn't ask for a much better warm-up than a road game against a quality BCS-conference opponent that it should still win (especially if Deacons QB Riley Skinner doesn't play). The only way I could see it being a disadvantage is if any of their key players get hurt in Winston-Salem.

I am so tired of hearing SEC fans say that "the second-best Pac-10 team beat the fourth-best SEC team" when Cal beat Tennessee. Is that all they got?
--Joe, Sacramento

Joe, Joe, Joe. So blissfully naïve. If there's two things I've learned during my time on this beat, it's that the SEC is positively, indisputably the greatest conference in the history of mankind, and little things like logic, facts and common sense have no bearing whatsoever on this distinction.

Tennessee beats Cal last year? Yet another feather in the SEC's cap. Cal beats Tennessee this year? Completely irrelevant. USC beats Auburn 23-0 in 2003? That wasn't one of Auburn's better teams. Auburn goes 12-0 the next year and gets left out of the BCS title game? A crime against humanity, seeing as the Tigers obviously would have beaten the Trojans. Big East champion Louisville comes within an offsides call of edging SEC champ Florida out of last year's BCS title game? Exhibit A why the whole system needs to be blown up. The fact that Big East champion West Virginia beat SEC champion Georgia in the Sugar Bowl just a year earlier? Eh -- the Dawgs weren't up for that game. Les Miles calls out USC's "soft" Pac-10 schedule? Well ... duh. But wouldn't that make SEC divisional champion Arkansas -- whom the Trojans beat 50-14 just a year earlier -- even softer? No, because Darren McFadden wasn't healthy, and he's obviously capable of producing 36 points on his own. Florida beating Ohio State like a rented mule in last year's title game? Indisputable confirmation that the Big Ten can't hold a candle to the SEC. The fact SEC teams lost their other two bowl games against Big Ten foes? Never happened.

So basically, Joe, I wouldn't waste your time with one of those futile debates. Just accept the SEC's eternal superiority for what it is and we can all go back to watching The Pick-Up Artist in peace.

Stewart, as author of the best seller Bowls, Polls, and Tattered Souls, and with your vast knowledge of college football, could you please explain how I just saw a Cal player numbered 1 (DeSean Jackson) run back a punt for a touchdown, and a few plays later, another Cal player numbered 1 (Worrell Williams) sacked Tennessee QB Erik Ainge. Can players on a college team share numbers?
--Chris Budreau, New Orleans

Yes they can -- as long as they play on different sides of the ball. Because college teams often carry more than 100 players (with walk-ons), it's often a necessity, and more common than you think. For instance, two of USC's most prominent players, quarterback John David Booty and linebacker Brian Cushing, both wear No. 10. (The next time you see a Trojans fan walking down the street wearing a No. 10 jersey, yell out, "All right, Cushing!" and see if it throws him off.)

On Saturday, for the first time ever, I actually saw a team get penalized for having two players with the same jersey number on the field at the same time. Unfortunately, I watched so many games that I can't remember which one. As always, I'm sure some of you out there will remind me.

Do you think we will see a letter from Jim Delany talking about how Michigan's academic standards prevent them from getting the type of athletes that Appalachian State gets?
--Brian Young, Tulsa, Okla.

Interesting, isn't it, how we haven't heard a single word from the Big Ten's previously loquacious commissioner since Saturday. Hopefully he's busy landing sponsors for his fledgling TV network -- because in the quarter-and-a-half I saw of the Michigan-Appalachian State broadcast, it was clear they only had three advertisements in their rotation as of now -- and two of them were for the Big Ten Network.

In the meantime, I'm sure Appalachian State attracts nothing but the nation's finest scholars thanks to its alluring promotional video. (The university is hot, hot, hot!) In fact, one bright young woman has already announced on national television that she's going to be attending the school next fall.

"Any chance of an upset in the Appalachian State-Michigan game Sept. 1 at the Big House? The Mountaineers have an explosive offense and are just plain fun to watch."
--Kevin Weis, Tryon, N.C.

Told 'ya.
--Kevin Weis, Tryon, N.C.

That's right, folks. Perhaps the only thing more amazing than Appalachian State's upset is that it was predicted right here in the Mailbag back in July. Just not by me. (Though I did say in last week's Mailbag, "The next Greatest Something of All-Time could take place as soon as this weekend.")

Nice work, Kevin. By all means, let me know of any good stocks you've noticed lately.