FOOTBALL

USC Morning Buzz: Remember The 12th Game Promise?

USC is expected to add a 12th game on August 29th.

Now I want to point out this promise from Jen Cohen when she was tap dancing around not playing Notre Dame: “Of our three non-conference games each year, we will schedule at least one Power 4 opponent. If that opponent is a rival with whom we share a long and storied tradition, all the better.”

Here are some teams with an opening for 2026: San Jose State, Florida Atlantic, Marshall, Georgia State, Memphis, Northern Illinois, UNLV, Temple, BYU, UTEP, and Stanford. 

Now obviously some are not available. But will Cohen deliver on his promise? Some of you will point out this year is different because of time constraints. That didn’t stop Notre Dame from scheduling BYU this season, of course.

  • Lincoln Riley does this all the time with fans. Not.

But he doesn’t have as much free time as Curt Cignetti or he would.

19 thoughts on “USC Morning Buzz: Remember The 12th Game Promise?”

  1. First.: I’ve seen Lincoln sign autographs for 19 hours straight. He’s an autograph machine.

    Second — Notre Dame can afford to put a BYU on their schedule. They don’t play Oregon, Indiana and Ohio State.

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    2. Well, as So Cal used to say, we are going to play “The Stanfurd of the west”, which is of course Stanfurd, which I never understood. So Cal, please advise brother!

      How much will USC need to pay Stanford for the game to be at the coliseum?

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      1. Whoever we play — it HAS to be at the coliseum. We need to take advantage of home field before the schedule gets more brutal than anything we’ve seen in a long time.

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      3. KAM: 25 years ago there was a poster named Luke SCkywalker who proclaimed USC was becoming “The Stanford of the West”!

        DON: An instant classic.

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    3. Take a knee, wolfman, i GOT this!

      MickeyG: First, stop making excuses, that’s Lil’ Lord Riley’s job!

      second, The Rudys may have their issues, but they are America’s Team

      Southern Cal is more like America’s Most Wanted!

      #ZING!

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      1. “USC: Most Wanted Team” —as in “Deep down Charlie mostly wants to be a Trojan”—- and we would welcome him with open & loving arms.

        #Ok,MaybeNotLoving

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  2. Yesterday’s Headline: “Doomsday clock moves 3 seconds closer to midnight” was meant for Lincoln if he doesn’t beat Oregon in the Big Ten opener at the coliseum.

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  3. First, Scott, Jen Cohen is a her not a his. And, ND scheduling BYU as soon as they announced that it was the substitute for USC tells you that they never planned on compromising with USC on scheduling as Freeman stated that they would. USC not having a replacement for ND tells you that USC was looking for a way to continue the series. Those are facts. ND is the spoiled child of college football that thinks that they deserve special treatment. I for one am glad that USC called them out for their greediness and spoiled brat syndrome. ND should not be in the playoffs until they officially join a conference even if its the Sunbelt Conference so that they can continue to play the easiest football schedule. Fight on, Dan, Class of 1962

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    1. Couldn’t agree with Ambitious more. Notre Dame’s refusal to join a Big Boy conference, the record breaking scheduling of BYU [coupled with Freeman’s leaving USC out of his Top 25] sez it all: They’re a bunch of petulant brats.

      [btw, Freeman knows we had them pinned until Special Teams gave up that ridiculous 95 yard return for a T. D.]

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  5. Scooter,

    I might be senile, and I am sure that I am, but I am hoping that Petterson’s defense can bring SC back to being dominant on defense. If that is the case, then SC can beat the boys from the big ten. The qb has to raise his game though. He hit his limit last year. We don’t know if he has it in him or not. That is why I wanted Longstreet to stay around just in case.

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    1. Patterson will likely help PT. But the transfer Jontez Williams is key to our success. We need him to be a lockdown corner. And Jahkeem Stewart and Floyd Bouchard have the potential to be dominate DL players. So does Freshman Luke Wafle and Jameon Winfield. If Christian Pierce and Alex Graham step up we have a really good defense. Still don’t understand why we didn’t get a top tier linebacker in the portal. Devan Bush is more of a depth piece and Desmon Stephens has a long way to go.

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    2. Yes, Stewart should be even better, with one year of experience AND a healed foot fracture, which bothered him the entire season. And Bouchard had some great plays last year. Frosh Luke Wafle looks exceptional, perhaps he will contribute significantly in his first year. Yes on the need for better linebackers, which will be really evident next year.

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