No. 15 TCU | No. 17 UCLA | Top 25
No. 16: USC
Last Season: 8-6 (6-3 Pac-12 South)
The Trojans play the toughest schedule in the country. In addition to their Pac-12 South foes, they face the top three North teams in Washington, Stanford and Oregon. But the Trojans do have some serious talent, ranking in my top 10 at running back (Justin Davis and Ronald Jones II), receiver (JuJu Smith-Schuster), offensive line (Zach Banner) and secondary. They are underdogs against Alabama (+10), Stanford (+7), Washington (+7) and UCLA (+3). All four games are away from home, where USC is just 15 -- 13 the past four seasons.
USC's chances to win each game
09.03 vs. Alabama (AT&T Stadium): 35.7%
09.10 vs.Utah State: 95.3%
09.17 @ Stanford: 52.5%
09.23 @ Utah: 70.8%
10.01 vs. Arizona State: 87.3%
10.08 vs. Colorado: 90.3%
10.15 @ Arizona: 67.0%
10.27 vs. Cal: 87.7%
11.05 vs. Oregon: 77.8%%
11.12 @ Washington: 45.0%
11.19 @ UCLA: 47.8%
11.26 vs. Notre Dame: 72.7%
If the defensive line can mature quickly, USC actually could exceed expectations -- the Trojans are loaded everywhere else, but a brutal schedule has 9-3 looking like a good year. -- Kyle Bonagura
With the nation's toughest schedule as a backdrop, the Trojans have to break in a new quarterback and patch a decimated defensive line. Their skill players are as good as any team in the country, but the road ahead is daunting. With so many questions, 8-4 seems likely. -- Kevin Gemmell
With players like Adoree' Jackson, JuJu Smith-Schuster and a slew of other playmakers that make other coaches drool, the Trojans will slog through the country's toughest slate to a 9-3 finish. -- Chantel Jennings
The Trojans are talented yet again, but USC must break in a new quarterback to replace Cody Kessler, and it remains to be seen if Clay Helton is the coach who'll finally be able to maximize this program's potential. The schedule here is particularly challenging -- it's the nation's toughest -- so an 8-4 finish seems like a solid bet. -- David Lombardi
Few teams lay out so obviously as the Trojans. They are looking for a new quarterback, yes, but their fortunes this fall depend on a nearly completely rebuilt front seven on defense. If that crew exceeds exceptions, then USC could do much better than 8-4 against the nation's toughest schedule. -- Ted Miller
No. 15 TCU | No. 17 UCLA | Top 25
