Former USC Trojans Running Back Ronald Jones II Named Tunnel Captain vs. Wisconsin

The No. 13 USC Trojans will face off against the unranked Wisconsin Badgers in week five of the college football season. Former USC running back Ronald Jones is set to be the tunnel captain for the Trojans.

Feb 12, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, US; Kansas City Chiefs running back Ronald Jones (2) against the Philadelphia Eagles during Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

In week five of the college football season, the No. 13 USC Trojans will face the unranked Wisconsin Badgers. The Trojans are coming off of a tough loss and will need their home crowd to help them bounce back as the team returns to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

What better way to energize the crowd than to have former USC running back Ronald Jones II as the tunnel captain? The tunnel captain’s job is to get the crowd excited and loud ahead of the matchup, and this is a sold-out game and an important one for the Trojans. 

For the Trojans home opener against Utah State, former USC star quarterback Matt Barkley led the team out of the tunnel.

Home field advantage is a big part of college football, and if the crowd gets loud early, it will be hard for Wisconsin’s offense to gain momentum on the field. Wisconsin quarterback Braedyn Locke is starting for the Badgers for the first time. There is always pressure for quarterbacks during their first start, but Jones hyping up the crowd can make it much harder for the Badgers quarterback.

Feb 12, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, US; Kansas City Chiefs running back Ronald Jones (2) against the Philadelphia Eagles during Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Jones played with the USC Trojans from 2015 until 2017. In his collegiate career, he rushed for 3,619 yards and 39 rushing touchdowns, and Jones is fifth on USC’s career rushing list, appearing in 40 games with 19 starts. In 2017, his final season with the Trojans, Jones won USC’s Offensive Perimeter Player of the Year award and was a finalist for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose award.

Jones was selected in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The running back won his first Super Bowl with the Buccaneers in the 2020 season. He earned his second ring with the Kansas City Chiefs when they defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII. Jones is currently a free agent.

Now, Jones will be making his return to the USC Trojans as the tunnel captain. The Trojans are 2-1, looking for a big win at home. The game against Michigan came down to the final minutes, but the offense could not get the job done. Instead of letting the loss defeat them for the season, the Trojans are still making a push for playoffs. Getting the win against Wisconsin can turn their season around for the better. 

Feb 12, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, US; Kansas City Chiefs running back Ronald Jones (2) runs on the field before Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Getting the home crowd hyped up ahead of the game is the first step to victory for the Trojans. The crowd will then energize the players on the field, giving them the fight they need to bounce back. USC will kickoff against Wisconsin at 12:30 p.m. PT.

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