USC Morning Buzz: Is Pac-12 Lagging Mountain West?

Mountain West wants to start Oct. 24, a week before Pac-12 expected to start

Does it bother you that the Mountain West is going to meet Thursday with the intention of starting the season Oct. 24?

That's a full week before the Pac-12 is expected to start.

Why does it matter? An extra game might have national implications for the Pac-12.

Let's face it, the Pac-12's best chance for the College Football Playoff is a season with less than 10 games because it means less chances for a team to blow it. Remember, Oregon lost to Arizona State in Game 11 last season.

But an 8-0 Pac-12 team might have a better case than a 7-0 Pac-12 team.

It's a nice thought but at this point, Oct. 31 looks like the earliest date for the Pac-12.

• Amy Diamond has been named USC’s chief investment officer. She previously worked at Northwestern. Diamond replaces Lisa Mazzocco, the USC endowment’s first CIO, who had been at the university since 2011.