Your conference being dumb is no excuse either even if that is the case. They are made up of the teams, so your group voted for whatever. Personally think it was dumb of the SEC to go beyond the NCAA rules. If it hurts a SEC team, it's their own damn fault for caring more about looking good than what is actually good/best.
But you mean USC couldn't get an exception or anything else given the circumstances - as USC was punished by the NCAA and you can recruit more per NCAA rules? I doubt it.
Personally, I think USC thought they could be fine with just a 25 player class and decided to spread it out/go back to normal rather than the other excuses. Because you know, you sign 35 this year and then you got like a big ass lump in your recruits and in 4 years, or your RS a bunch which isn't going to help this year and/or you get lower quality players due to volume. Kind of like how everyone makes a big deal about Tennessee and their classes, and I just kind of roll my eyes as it's quantity rather than quality.
Because I seriously don't believe USC was helpless in signing more recruits. You could have filled your 85 and choose not too.
Just a whole bunch of you not knowing what you're talking about.