USC Football: Lincoln Riley Confident Trojans Will Be Ready for Early Week 5 Start Time

One of the most anticipated matchups early into 2023.
USC Football: Lincoln Riley Confident Trojans Will Be Ready for Early Week 5 Start Time
USC Football: Lincoln Riley Confident Trojans Will Be Ready for Early Week 5 Start Time /

With their squad looking toward winning a national title, an early season conference test for the Trojans will have plenty of eyes on them. 

Facing the Colorado Buffaloes on the road for today's Week 5 showdown, USC's head coach Lincoln Riley isn't concerned with the 9 a.m. kickoff any more than he is about the opponent his team will face. 

“That was, honestly, to me, the only potential drawback of it,” Riley said. “We were able to put out kind of a mock schedule and kind of have a minute to scratch through it on our end of what that would look like. Our guys are pretty rested,” he said. “I think we might have felt maybe a little different if we were in the middle of a six or seven-game stretch.”

via Erik McKinney, On3.com

Though the Trojans beat the Buffaloes by a significant margin last season 55-17, it's been very apparent across the nation that there's a new sheriff in town for Colorado this year. 

Former cornerback and Pro Football Hall of Fame member Deion Sanders has taken the program over and has thrust the undefeated Buffaloes into the national spotlight after a one win season for 2022. 

Winning against TCU to get ranked in the top 25, Colorado won against Nebraska and in state rival Colorado State to triple their win total from last season. 

Led by Sanders' son, Shadeur at QB, the anticipated matchup between the younger Sanders and reigning Heisman winner Caleb Williams will be earlier than some fans might desire. 

The start time for the matchup won't be any concern according to Riley as he's set to face off against divisional rival Arizona State this coming weekend, while the Buffaloes will have to deal with the Oregon Ducks the same day. 

In what should be one of college football's most anticipated matchups of the year, we simply can't wait to see it unfold. 

Don't forget to join our community at LA Sports Report, where we celebrate all things Trojans!


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Caleb Nguyen
CALEB NGUYEN

Caleb is a recent graduate of Cal Poly Pomona with his B.S in Communications through Multimedia Journalism. Always having a deep love of sports, sportswriting has always been a passion of his.