Carroll's decorated resume makes him -- and USC -- best of the best

Remember, I never said that "dynasty" word.

--Pete Carroll

OK, Pete, but we did.

Pete Carroll has become accustomed to lifting trophies. (Getty Images)

This summer series concludes with the CEO of perhaps the last college football dynasty in your lifetime. In the eyes of Carroll, though, there are at least two things wrong with the preceding sentence.

1) USC's coach doesn't want to consider the d-word. It's just another bulls-eye slapped on a program that faces opponents' archery practice on a weekly basis.

2) Even if he did consider USC's current run a dynasty, it is unsettling that his might be the last dinosaur.

"Kind of the vision of this program," the coach said, "is to win forever."

Ain't going to happen. Carroll knows it. Every coach knows it. Still, they try.

USC has bucked immense odds to get this far, as the country's only major-college dynasty with its engine still running. In the last six years, there have been at least a share of six consecutive Pac-10 titles, six straight BCS bowls, three Heisman Trophy winners and two national championships. There is no end in sight but there is one certainty: There will be an end. USC aside, this decade is starting to look like Obama's presidential campaign -- being sucked toward the middle. Traditional powers have faded. It's hard for anyone to dominate.

From 1983 to 2001, Miami won five national championships. Since that last title seven years ago, the Canes have changed coaches, conferences and perceptions. The one-time national power has yet to play in so much as the ACC title game in the three-year existence of the expanded conference. Nebraska won its last conference title nine years ago. Florida State's run of 14 consecutive seasons in the AP top four ended after the 2000 season.

Alabama has spent time, money and several coaching searches in trying to get back to the days of Bear Bryant. The Tide are likely to see more of a bear market before they see anything approximating Bear's winning percentage.

Last season, LSU became the first two-loss team to win a national championship in 47 years. Now we're wondering if that is an anomaly or a trend.

Since 2000, only eight teams have finished the season undefeated. Eight different teams. From 1960-69, there were at least 19 undefeated seasons (We counted only those ranked in the AP poll.) Those undefeated seasons were accomplished by 13 teams.