Following Saturday’s 33-30 loss to Penn State, the USC Trojans’ already slim hopes of making the College Football Playoff have essentially vanished. While six games remain, any realistic shot at playoff success is gone. With only 12 teams selected and USC now sitting at three losses, their playoff chances are virtually nonexistent. This raises a pressing question for the program:
What’s next?
The Trojans’ next three games appear to be winnable, but given their inconsistent performances, there’s no guarantee.
USC travels to Maryland next, where they are favored by seven points according to ESPN BET. While the Trojans should be able to manage the Terrapins, road games in the Big Ten haven’t been kind to USC, especially against well-established teams like Michigan and Minnesota. Maryland is coming off a disappointing loss to a struggling Northwestern, which could give USC hope of a comfortable win against their fellow 3-3 Big Ten opponent.
The Trojans will then host Rutgers on Oct. 25 for a Friday-night game. After a 4-0 start, the Scarlet Knights have cooled off with consecutive losses to Nebraska and Wisconsin. Given Rutgers’ long 5,000-mile journey to Los Angeles, USC is expected to handle this matchup.
A tougher challenge awaits on Nov. 2 when the Trojans visit Washington. The Huskies haven’t had a stellar season after last year’s championship loss to Michigan, especially following coach Kalen DeBoer’s departure to Alabama. Currently 4-3, Washington has a win over Michigan but has faced inconsistency. Coach Jedd Fisch, who nearly upset USC last year while at Arizona, could pose another challenge in this rematch.
USC’s final three games—against Nebraska, UCLA, and Notre Dame—could prove problematic unless the Trojans correct the issues that contributed to their losses. If USC can regain its form, they could be 6-3 and potentially ranked by the time they face Nebraska on Nov. 16 at home. The Cornhuskers, meanwhile, will face Indiana, Ohio State, and UCLA before their matchup in Southern California.
USC finishes the season with historic rivalry games against UCLA and Notre Dame. Head coach Lincoln Riley is 1-1 against both teams in his third year. With UCLA struggling, USC seems poised to reclaim the Victory Bell, having lost it last year in a humbling 38-20 defeat at the Coliseum.
As of Oct. 13, Notre Dame is the only ranked opponent remaining on USC’s schedule. The Fighting Irish have been unpredictable, with an impressive road win over Texas A&M followed by an upset loss to Northern Illinois. With the game set to take place in Los Angeles, USC has a chance to capture both the Victory Bell and the Jeweled Shillelagh by season’s end.
