This season has really gone to pot if we need to monitor the American Athletic Conference championship to see USC’s bowl opponent. But if USC goes to the Cotton Bowl, it would play Tulane or Central Florida. From Georgia in Atlanta to Tulane in Dallas. What a comedown. I’ve been to several Cotton Bowls. It’s usually cold and boring. It would actually be more fun … Continue reading I Guess We Should Be Watching Tulane-Central Florida Game

Here was Lincoln Riley on the hamstring injury to Caleb Williams last night. “He was not even 50 percent,” Riley said. “… I thought about taking him out but he wouldn’t let me … maybe the gutsiest performance (at that position) I’ve ever seen.” This begs the question whether it was a wise decision? Let’s say we can all agree Williams is the best QB … Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: Hobbled Caleb Williams Refused To Come Out

Yes, Caleb Williams was hurt. But . . . Lincoln Riley’s decision-making was questionable. The defense was laughable. The offensive line was atrocious. “They were not ready,” a Pac-12 defensive coordinator texted me tonight. Utah went on a 44-7 run after USC took a 17-3 lead. Continue reading USC Not Ready For Prime Time

A Pac-12 defensive coordinator texted me: “Somebody is getting fired. They might blame it on secondary They might blame Donte Williams.” There needs to be an inquest on what the defense is taught. Utah corner Clark Phillips had a very costly slip there and Caleb Williams keeps making plays. USC cannot cover a tight end. Period. What a shambolic TD that was. Caleb Williams is … Continue reading Discuss The USC-Utah Game

All right, let’s get down to business. Who do you have tonight? I’m picking USC, 41-30. I think Caleb Williams is too talented to lose and Cam Rising won’t quite be able to match him. Based on the buffet at the MGM Grand, Utah fans greatly outnumber USC fans. We’ll see how that translates to the game. Continue reading Pick The USC-Utah Score

If it’s Friday, it’s time for the Pac-12 championship game. Fox and ESPN love having the game on Friday night, secluded from all those other conference championship contests. But to me, it makes the game feel not ready for prime time, because it can’t make the Saturday stage. It’s also less convenient for fans, who could travel to Las Vegas on a Saturday and not … Continue reading If It’s Friday, It’s Time For A USC Notes Column

The USC-Utah is officially sold out. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be empty seats. The Pac-12 expects more than 60,000. Capacity is 65,000. I’m actually hearing a lot of USC students are making the trip to Las Vegas so there should be a strong contingent of Trojan fans. Still, I would be surprised if Utah didn’t have more fans in the stadium. Continue reading Pac-12 Title Game Is Sold Out

So it turns out USC didn’t want defensive end Grant Buckey after all, which is why he switched his commitment to UCLA today. It’s good to know Lincoln Riley changes his mind on recruits too. Clay Helton did it all the time. My question would be why did you take Buckey in the first place? He was a three-star and most of his interest came … Continue reading Lincoln Riley Shows Recruiting Hand

Defensive lineman Grant Buckey of Bakersfield, who was committed to USC, has flipped to UCLA. I have to admit I wasn’t quite sure of all the hoopla when Buckey, a three-star, committed to USC. But now, for whatever reason, he is going to UCLA. Bruins fans must be ecstatic to flip a USC recruit given the current success at USC. UCLA’s defensive line coach is … Continue reading Recruit Flips From USC To UCLA

Utah will play USC without tailback Tavion Thomas, who injured his toe against Oregon. Thomas announced Nov. 25 he would skip the rest of the season and prepare for the NFL Draft. But apparently, no one told ESPN yet, as this video from Wednesday shows. 🤦🏻‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/wUfy8CoOKl — Ry (@UtahRy) December 1, 2022 https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js “As a competitor, it certainly doesn’t take playing them again to … Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: ESPN Provides Pac-12 Title Game Humor

The price of a Pac-12 ticket is going up. According to TickPick, the no-fee secondary ticket marketplace, this is the most expensive Pac-12 Championship game on record. TickPick reports that 67 percent of all purchases made are coming from California while only 7 percent are coming from Utah. The average purchase price ahead of Friday is $177 – 36 percent more expensive than last year’s … Continue reading It’s An Expensive Pac-12 Title Ticket This Year

What’s the point of the Pac-12 championship game for USC? The simple answer is a spot in the College Football Playoff. But another way of looking at it is the game offers nothing for USC. The Trojans are already No. 4 in the CFP rankings. If they didn’t have another game, they could stroll into the playoff. The Pac-12 championship only offers risk for USC. … Continue reading Is There A Point To Pac-12 Title Game For USC?

I spoke to a Nike official on Tuesday who told me talks are underway with USC about wearing an alternate uniform in either 2023 or 2024. What would it look like? “I think the most likely option would be an all-white uniform,” the official said. USC’s considered an alternate uniform in the past but decided against it because of the public backlash. Steve Sarkisian pondered … Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: A New Look Coming?

As expected, USC moved into fourth place in the College Football Playoff rankings. The Trojans would play Georgia in Atlanta on Dec. 31 if nothing changes. Cornerback Jacobe Covington, a transfer from Washington, has struggled to make an impact. “He’s a guy we brought in to play and play early,” defensive coordinator Alex Grinch said. “He didn’t, which is a frustration. I hope he was … Continue reading USC Moves To No. 4 In CFP Rankings

What will be the key in the USC-Utah game? Caleb Williams? The USC defense? We already know Williams is probably going to play a great game. And the USC defense will be vulnerable, as usual. But how will Utah QB Cameron Rising play? He passed for 415 yards and rushed for 3 TDs in the teams’ last meeting. But there’s been moments this season where … Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: Key To Pac-12 Title Game

Did you know Lincoln Riley has a personal driver? The guy even dresses like a coach and has a locker at the Coliseum. When you make $10 million a year, it’s a perk of the job, especally for that grueling drive to Palos Verdes. Pete Carroll never had a driver. He was too energetic and free-wheeling. Remember, he used to drive around Los Angeles in … Continue reading USC Notes: It’s Good To Be King

The official attendance figure for the USC-Notre Dame game was 72,613. “No disrespect to our fans, but that’s the first time I’ve seen that much people in the stands, going crazy loud. Throughout the whole game, too,” Tuli Tuipulotu said. It’s kind of sad that the game was seen as a landmark moment in their careers, especially when it wasn’t even a sellout. There were … Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: A Good Step Forward But Not Like Carroll Era

Some real own goals from last night’s game: The band waited until after the game ended to move over to the student section. By the time they did get there, most of the USC players were gone and safety Calen Bullock was the only one to climb the ladder. It’s amazing Caleb Williams — in the final home game of the season — didn’t climb … Continue reading USC Game Day Experience Can Do Better

USC is going to play Utah on Friday night. Yes, Friday, because the Pac-12 has to play its title game on a Friday, unlike the other major conferences. But Oregon’s loss that allowed Utah into the Pac-12 game led to a flurry of texts among some Pac-12 coaches last night, happy to see the Ducks blow a 21-point lead. Why? Among some coaches, there was … Continue reading USC Notes: Some Pac-12 Coaches Happy Oregon Lost

Did you see Stanford coach David Shaw resigned? Anyone have Chris Petersen’s number? Does he want to deal with the non-NIL, few transfers-on-roster Stanford? Wait, I digress. So it’s USC vs. Utah on Friday in the Pac-12 championship game at Las Vegas. Bet the rematch isn’t as good. All those fears about USC and the College Football Playoff disappeared Saturday night. The Trojans are in … Continue reading There Was So Much Going On Saturday Night/Sunday Morning

I’m setting this up early today if someone has some early comments to make. I would like to see USC and Notre Dame both wear their home jerseys in this game. It happened in the old days so it’s not unprecedented. Continue reading Discuss The USC-Notre Dame Game

It’s time for you to pick the score of the USC-Notre Dame game. Earlier in the season, this seemed like a straightforward result: Notre Dame looked terrible and in a real low lost to Stanford, 16-14, on Oct. 15. Even on Nov. 12, the Irish barely beat Navy, 35-32. But I’m going to be a contrarian here. The Irish are not a Pac-12 team and … Continue reading Saturday Buzz: Who Wins The Notre Dame-USC Game?

Notre Dame is holding its pre-game walkthrough today at St. Bernard High School in Playa Del Rey. Continue reading Notre Dame Is In Town

If you want to understand what this two-week gauntlet is like for USC, John McKay put things in perspective: “There is nothing worse than losing to UCLA and nothing better than beating Notre Dame.” We’ve got so much history, it’s time to get started. Can any rivalry boast anything close to having Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig wearing their football uniforms? This was an annual … Continue reading If It’s Friday, It’s Time For A USC Notes Column

Wondering to make for friends and family? Lincoln Riley and family have the answer below: Holiday Breakfast Casserole! Calling cinnamon rolls a “casserole” doesn’t really sound appealing to me but I’m not from Dimmit, Texas, like Caitlin Riley. Go ahead and try it. Continue reading A Post-Thanksgiving Recipe From Lincoln Riley

I’m going to get an early start on the Friday column by posting a USC-Notre Dame photo from the 2000 game. It’s tailback Malaefou MacKenzie running for daylight vs. the Irish. USC was only 5-7 that season but the game stil drew 81,342. “From a criticism standpoint, Saturdays, that’s your resume. From a coaching standpoint, from a player standpoint, there’s no dodging it,” Grinch said. … Continue reading Happy Thanksgiving!

USC sent out this email to some fans who bought tickets to the Pac-12 title game. It claims USC needs extra tickets for the game. Now before you get too excited, the ticket allotment is 3,500, so USC should sell those tickets quickly. Continue reading Pac-12 Title Game Tickets Going!

Did you get outraged because USC was not ranked about LSU? Here’s the deal: USC will make the College Football Playoff if it wins out, as long as TCU doesn’t go undefeated and LSU doesn’t win the SEC. Frankly, if LSU wins the SEC, they should go. The fact USC got snubbed should actually please the Trojans’ fans who prefer a trip to the Rose … Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: The Path To CFP Is Clear

Here’s what Boo Corrigan on why two-loss LSU was ranked ahead of USC in tonight’s College Football Playoff rankings. LSU is No. 5 and USC is No. 6. Continue reading USC Is Behind LSU In College Football Playoff Rankings

Lincoln Riley said today his confidence in kicker Denis Lynch is “very high.” Riley said Lynch missed the first FG because the holder’s foot was in his way. Riley also spoke about the state of football in Southern California. “I think people need to recognize that a lot of things have changed,” he said. “This program’s on a great trajectory. Chip (Kelly) has done a … Continue reading Lincoln Riley Backs His Kicker

The USC-UCLA game not only created a great matchup on the field, it allowed the coaches to trade gossip. The word going around at the Rose Bowl was that UCLA defensive coordinator Bill McGovern will not be returning next season because of health issues. That is setting off a scramble as coaches try to figure out who Chip Kelly will hire this time around and … Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: The Coaches’ Rumor Mill Is Going Strong

USC just be UCLA in a highly emotional game but it’s now time to focus on Notre Dame. “There’s a different feeling about this one and I can feel it amongst our program and our players,” Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said. “I knew it last year but this year being at the end of the year at USC, you can really feel it.” Freeman … Continue reading USC Notes: It’s Time To Worry About Notre Dame

If you have a big game on national TV and you’re from USC, you become the Heisman favorite. Think Carson Palmer vs. Notre Dame in 2002 (425 yards, 4 TDs.) Caleb Williams is the new Heisman favorite according to BetOnline. USC’s national title odds also improved. The Trojans are 25/1. Georgia is 5/7; Ohio State is 5/2; Michigan is 10/1; TCU is 14/1 and Clemson … Continue reading Caleb Williams Is Heisman Favorite

QUARTERBACK It must be an amazing feeling to call plays and know Caleb Williams will use his magic to make them work. He can throw against his body better than anyone in college football. And he’s almost impossible to tackle on the first attempt. He’s singlehandedly got USC in the College Football Playoff conversation. It’s all enough to almost make you forget his slow start. … Continue reading Morning Buzz: USC-UCLA Report Card

Did you know last night was the first time this season Jordan Addison reached double figures in receptions? He had 11 catches for 178 yards and one TD. Before the season, Addison and many fans probably assumed the Biletnikoff Award winner would have quite a few games like last night. But Addison has never caught more than eight passes in a game this season. It … Continue reading A USC Milestone From UCLA Game

USC does not have a special teams coach but it does have someone who handles the special teams. Ryan Dougherty is the Trojans’ “special teams analyst.” He spent the previous 5 seasons (2017-21) as the special teams analyst at Oklahoma.“He can’t wear headsets and do all the things that a regular assistant coach does (like recruiting and on-field coaching) but he does handle the special … Continue reading Sunday Buzz: It’s Obvious USC Needs A Special Teams Coach

I’m glad I waited a bit before writing this post because I want to put it in perspective. I would say this game falls more into the “highly entertaining” category than “classic.” But it was a great game to watch from beginning to end. Imagine being told before the game that Austin Jones would outgain Zach Charbonnet (120-95) and Korey Foreman would make the game-saving … Continue reading Discuss The USC-UCLA Game

Korey Foreman made a play. I repeat. Korey Foreman made a play. He hadn’t even made a tackle before that interception. It’s up to Alex Grinch and a poor defense now. Caleb Williams stops himself by refusing to run for a first down and throwing a poor pass to Josh Falo. Continue reading USC-UCLA Live Blog

Did you see everyone at the L.A. Times picked UCLA to win today? That’s got to mean one thing: A USC victory. On a more serious note, the USC coaches seem very confident for this game. I see it more as one of those games where whoever has the last possession wins. If I have to pick a winner, I’m going with Caleb Williams. And … Continue reading My USC-UCLA Game Pick

A USC player tells me the scouting report for the UCLA game is fairly simple. “We just have to worry about the quarterback and the tailback,” the player said. This is another way of saying USC doesn’t think UCLA’s wide receivers are going to be a big problem. And it jibes with what a Pac-12 coach told me last week in his own analysis of … Continue reading Saturday Buzz: A Scouting Report Before Picking The USC-UCLA Score

The Daily Bruin defeated the Daily Trojan, 10-8, tonight in the annual Blood Bowl. The game was played at the USC Village. Now is this a bad sign for USC? Actually, the conventional wisdom over the decades is that whoever wins the Blood Bowl usually loses the actual game. We shall see. One thing this game had in common with the real game? The points … Continue reading A USC-UCLA Omen?

Here are some game programs from the Crosstown Rivalry: USC vs. UCLA, 1976 USC vs. UCLA, 1974 USC vs. UCLA, 1971 1967, USC vs. UCLA 1966, USC vs. UCLA 1963, USC vs. UCLA USC vs. UCLA, 1960 USC vs. UCLA, 1951 Continue reading The Friday USC-UCLA Column Supplement

The USC-UCLA game is almost here and there’s a lot of great memories in this rivalry, so let’s get to some of them. But first: The UCLA equipment students defeated USC equipment, 55-22, Thursday night in Westwood. The Daily Trojan hosts the Daily Bruin in the Blood Bowl tonight at the USC Village. Jarett Sabol, a Class of 2025 catcher/outfielder from Aliso Niguel High School, … Continue reading If It’s Friday, It’s Time For A USC Notes Column