Southern California is a victory away from catching Texas.

In the Bowl Championship Series standings? Well, maybe, but who can figure that stuff out.

More definitively, the Trojans will shoot for their 30th straight victory Saturday against Washington State – a mark that would tie the Longhorns for the 11th-best winning streak in major-college football history.

Texas racked up the longest winning streak in school history from 1968-70 before it was snapped by Notre Dame. No. 1 USC already cleared that hurdle a couple of weeks ago in South Bend, Ind., and is now entering rare air, especially for a team in the modern era of college football.

Of the 11 teams that have won at least 30 straight, only three have played in the last 35 years.

Miami’s 34-game streak from 2000-2003 was the most recent. Toledo won 35 straight from 1969-71, overlapping with the Longhorns’ streak. But the majority of the 30-plus game winning streaks came during the days of laceless balls, even before leather helmets.

Yale had two 37-game winning streaks, one 1890-93 and the other 1887-89. Penn had a 34-game streak and a 31-game streak in the late 19th century.

Washington (39 straight) and Pittsburgh (31) had their long runs between 1908-1918.

Oklahoma has the longest winning streak in NCAA history with 47 consecutive from 1953-57.

The Trojans have several streaks going within their streak, including a school-record 23 home wins and a school-best 19 straight against Pac-10 opponents, that could also get a bump this week against the Cougars (3-4).

USC’s win over Notre Dame was its 14th straight against an opponent ranked in the AP Top 25, the second best streak of its kind. OU won 15 straight over ranked foes during its 23-game unbeaten streak from 1972-76.

The picks:

Today

No. 13 Boston College (plus 131â2) at No. 3 Virginia Tech

Winning isn’t enough for Hokies. They need to win big … VIRGINIA TECH 38-13.

Saturday

Washington State (minus 30) at No. 1 Southern California

Trojans don’t leave California the rest of the regular season … USC 55-21.

No. 2 Texas (minus 37) at Oklahoma State

Cowboys went up 35-7 on ‘Horns last year before Texas rallied to win … TEXAS 49-10.

No. 4 Georgia (plus 41â2) vs. No. 16 Florida at Jacksonville, Fla.

Georgia can clinch the SEC East with a win … FLORIDA 17-14.

Utah State (plus 341â2) at No. 5 Alabama

Tide trying to go 8-0 for the first time since 1994 … ALABAMA 38-7.

North Carolina (plus 20) at No. 6 Miami

Tar Heels won last year’s meeting on last-second FG … MIAMI 36-10.

North Texas (plus 44) at No. 7 LSU

Rescheduled by Katrina … LSU 45-10.

No. 8 UCLA (minus 8) at Stanford

Did Stanford (4-2) really lose to UC Davis? … UCLA 42-30.

Maryland (plus 17) at No. 10 Florida State

Terps snapped 14-game losing streak to FSU last season … FLORIDA STATE 30-10.

Purdue (plus 15) at No. 11 Penn State

Nittany Lions can win Big Ten’s BCS bid by winning out … PENN STATE 38-16.

No. 12 Ohio State (minus 4) at Minnesota

Buckeyes allowing 2.0 per rush; Gophers’ Laurence Maroney averages 5.4 per carry … MINNESOTA 27-24.

No. 15 Wisconsin (minus 19) at Illinois

And Ron Zook thought the SEC was tough … WISCONSIN 45-20.

No. 17 Texas Tech (minus 11) at Baylor

Beware of Bears … BAYLOR 38-35.

Mississippi (plus 20) at No. 19 Auburn

Ole Miss has won two of three at Auburn … AUBURN 28-10.

No. 20 TCU (minus 61â2) at San Diego State

TCU QB Jeff Ballard as nine TD passes in five games since taking over for injured starter … TCU 34-20.

No. 25 Michigan (minus 3) at No. 21 Northwestern

Wildcats have allowed only five sacks … MICHIGAN 44-39.

No. 22 Fresno State (minus 121â2) at Hawaii

Fresno State has won eight straight WAC games … FRESNO STATE 48-33.

South Carolina (plus 14) at No. 23 Tennessee

Welcome back coach Spurrier … TENNESSEE 23-6.