Admin August 5, 2024
USC football was named to the preseason USA Today Top 25 Coaches’ Poll on Monday, slated at No. 23. The Trojans were one of six Big Ten programs on the preseason ranking, headlined by Ohio State (No. 1) and Oregon (No. 3). USC was the fifth highest-rated Big Ten team, ahead of Iowa (No. 25).
REACTION: No. 23 seems like a very fair ranking for USC, and it probably doesn’t crack any major preseason Top 25 without the Holiday Bowl win powering the program into the offseason. I think the team would’ve preferred to be left off the Top 25, fueling this underdog mentality throughout the offseason going into the LSU game, which seems destined for a Top 25 matchup tag.
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The Trojans will play one of the toughest schedules in the nation in 2024, including four teams that made the preseason Top 25. In addition to opening the season against LSU in Las Vegas, USC will play defending national champion Michigan on the road and Washington on the road. The Trojans will also host Penn State and Notre Dame while also going on the road to Minnesota and Maryland.
“We’re not where we want to be right now, but we’re not far off, and we’re not slowing down,” Lincoln Riley said at Big Ten Media Days. “There’s not one part of our program that I don’t feel like is heading in a great direction. Now does that mean we’re satisfied with every single thing that’s happening right now in recruiting or on the field? Of course not. That’s why we’re building.”
USC has picked up some buzz going into the offseason with the addition of new defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn, a new defensive staff and the play of Moss in the Holiday Bowl win over No. 16 Louisville where he tossed six TD passes.
