Did you see what Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark said about the College Football Playoff’s expansion to 16 teams? “I’m doubling down today on 5-11,” Yormark said Tuesday. “I’m confident we’ll get to the right place. I’m confident we’ll get to 5-11.” That will not make Lincoln Riley happy. The 5-11 model means the five highest-ranked conference champions would get automatic bids and the remaining … Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: This Plan Won’t Make Lincoln Riley Happy

It was just about three weeks ago that Fox analyst Joel Klatt said if USC loses to Illinois this season, “it puts USC on a path towards like are they going to be 7-5 again.” And this week, he ranks USC No. 7 among teams among teams who have a chance to make their first College Football Playoff. It’s a great gift, really, to cover … Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: Covering All Your Bases As Usual

The Athletic has ranked college football rivalries and USC-Notre Dame is No. 5. USC-UCLA is down at No. 14. It’s just another reminder of the value of the rivalry to USC. Something Lincoln Riley and Jen Cohen don’t like to acknowledge. What are they going to do if the Big Ten doesn’t get its four automatic bids to the College Football Playoff? Could Cohen be … Continue reading Another Example Of USC-Notre Dame Value

Despite high expectations by some, the oddsmakers remain skeptical about USC. The over/under regular-season win total remains 7.5 for USC, the same as last season. Here are the totals for the Big Ten Conference according to Circa Sports: Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: Skepticism Remains For 2025