LOS ANGELES — Beyond being unbearable for Trojans fans aching to cover themselves in cardinal and gold on Saturdays, Southern Cal’s bye week has hurt the team’s national perception and standing in the polls.

But it’s perception only. In reality, this is the same Trojans team — same Heisman candidate at quarterback, same stifling defense — that prompted Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh to call it potentially the best ever at Pac-10 media day.

Unfortunately, it is primarily perception that drives and shapes these subjective polls that, come season’s end, help crown a national champion.

This season’s opening weeks have reinforced the ineffectiveness of college football polls in predicting future outcomes and standardizing the sport.

And with an impressive number of Davids beating Goliaths in the first two weeks, highlighted by preseason No. 5 Michigan’s historic collapse against Division I-AA Appalachian State, causing the Wolverines to take the largest single-week plunge in the rankings, the skepticism of polls is understandable.

But they still serve their original purpose.

Alan Gould, who introduced the concept of a national poll to The Associated Press in 1936, recently told Newsday that the purpose was “to develop interest and controversy between football Saturdays. Newspapers wanted material to fill space between games. That’s all I had in mind, something to keep the pot boiling. Sports was living off controversy, opinion, whatever. This was just another exercise in hoopla.”

The impact of the polls has evolved greatly past Gould’s vision because of any number of factors, including the demand for a legitimate national champion, but the “controversy, opinion, whatever” surrounding the polls remains.

While the Trojans were out of sight last weekend, they were also apparently out of mind to many media members.

CBSsportsline.com senior writer Dennis Dodd wrote: “LSU and Oklahoma are the best teams in the country right now.”

ESPN.com senior writer Pat Forde chimed in before the clock even turned to Sunday: “LSU should be the first-ranked team. By a mile. That’s the only conclusion to be drawn.”

And Les Miles, the always discreet coach of LSU, could not resist from adding to the rhetoric: “We’re so far away from being the second-ranked team, it isn’t even funny.”

No one is laughing, Les. And Pat, here are some other conclusions you could draw:

The Tigers were beyond impressive in victory. But that Virginia Tech team they blew out of Death Valley was not the ninth-best team in the country. LSU exposed the Hokies, who barely held on against East Carolina in Week One, with yet another blow to the waning prestige of the ACC.

But much to the chagrin of its detractors, USC has been given the benefit of the doubt by a majority of voters, allowing the Trojans to retain their spot at the top of the rankings. The team must now validate that on the FieldTurf of Lincoln, Neb., this weekend.

But this is hardly new territory for USC. Let me put this season and the polls in some perspective:

In 2005, Matt Leinart led the top-ranked Trojans to Hawaii in Week One. He threw three touchdowns and one interception. Reggie Bush ran 12 times for two touchdowns.

Then USC rested.

Meanwhile, second-ranked Texas improved to 2-0 by beating Ohio State — and stayed No. 2.

In 2007, John David Booty led the top-ranked Trojans against Idaho in Week One. He threw three touchdowns and one interception. Stafon Johnson ran 12 times for two touchdowns.

Then USC rested.

Meanwhile, second-ranked LSU improved to 2-0 by dismantling No. 9 Virginia Tech at home. On Monday the Tigers were still No. 2.

So far, history has done a good job of repeating itself; the Trojans are rightfully No. 1 going into Week Three. But with memories of Vince Young’s Longhorns still fresh in USC minds, they hope that’s where the similarities to 2005 end.