While USC football hasn’t featured in many post-spring top 25 rankings/predictions, one analyst gave the Trojans some major love this week.
Speaking on the Cover 3 Podcast, host Chip Patterson picked USC to make the College Football Playoff during a Big Ten bold predictions segment.
“I read into action. I read into inaction. Given all of the changes around the football program for USC, you would think that if Lincoln Riley thought someone other than Jayden Maiava was out there that would give the Trojans their best chance to win, that USC might have come calling. I think with the decision to go with him late last season, and doubling down on the commitment to him, you don’t have anyone in the program that’s going to cause him to look over his shoulder. Maybe that’s what hurt Miller Moss last season. If strength and conditioning tightens up and there’s a mentality flip with this Trojans team, I’m looking for bold at-large candidates from the Big Ten that I think can get four teams into the College Football Playoff again. I’ll go with USC.
Patterson and the Cover 3 crew continued the discussion mentioning how USC was competitive in all of their losses last season, brought in a new strength coach in Trumain Carroll and has two really good receivers in Ja’Kobi Lane and Makai Lemon.
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The USC football regular-season win total is currently set at 7.5, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. The Trojans would need at least nine wins to make the CFP. Ten wins would most likely lock USC into the Playoff for the first time in program history.
The Trojans have made some major offseason moves headlined by transforming the program’s personnel staff. USC hired general manger Chad Bowden away from Notre Dame in January. Moving on from former strength coach Bennie Wylie and hiring Carroll was another significant move. So was adding linebacker coach Rob Ryan from the NFL.
“We’re not content with any part of this program being average or even being good,” USC head coach Lincoln Riley said in February. “Like, that’s not our mentality. Any part of this program we’re evaluating on, ‘Is it at a national championship level?’ If it’s not, is it trending that way quickly? And if it’s not, we need to fix it.”
Time will tell if the Trojans’ offseason moves lead to more victories.
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