USC Football: CFB Columnist Labels Anticipated Week 5 Showdown as the 'Transfer Portal Game'

This game could have lasting effects down the line.

One of the biggest changes to how college football has worked lately is the heavy use of the transfer portal. It has seen players moving to different programs, almost yearly, and it has allowed teams to stock up on talented players.

For the USC Trojans and head coach Lincoln Riley, they have used it well. Being in Southern California is also a great perk for the Trojans, and it has seen plenty of players come to become Trojans.

But as the team gets ready for their highly anticipated matchup this weekend with the Colorado Buffalos and head coach Deion Sanders, potential prospects could be watching this game to see where they should attend. While it may not be that simple, prospects want to make sure that they go to a school where they can both play and have a chance to win.

Brad Crawford of 247Sports.com seems to believe that this game could determine how the portal shakes out down the line.

“Let's just call Saturday's USC-Colorado showdown at Folsom Field this year's "transfer portal game" given rosters engineered by Lincoln Riley and Deion Sanders. During the 2023 recruiting cycle, Sanders and the Buffaloes signed a record-setting 51 transfers, which put Colorado's portal class at No. 1. And for the second-straight year, Riley weaponized his roster, landing 15 players for the No. 4 transfer class”

Per Brad Crawford of 247Sports.com

This game could mean more for recruiting purposes for the Buffalos because if they were to knock off USC this weekend, it would be massive for their program. Colorado has never beaten the Trojans in their history, so if Sanders can do it in his first year, it would be a big bonus for the program. Potential recruits would see the plan that he has put into place may be working, and it could sway them. 

Both of these schools will be competing for the major recruits moving forward, so this game could end up causing some to shift their commitments. 

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