USC Football News: Trojans Have Fought Back to Reclaim the Pac-12’s Respect

USC is back, and their opponents know it

It was some dark times for the USC Trojans in the mid to late 2010s. The football program was at an all-time low, and they had difficulty recovering from the sanctions they suffered in the late 2000s, early 2010s. 

The Trojans went from college football being the most elite to being irrelevant in a big way. They had lost their shine and mojo for some years, but that all changed in November 2021 when the school hired one of the best coaches in the sport, Lincoln Riley. The arrival of Riley changed the entire way USC has been viewed over the past handful of years, and it didn't take long for him to return SC to where they belong. 

Riley immediately made USC relevant again, and the play spoke for itself. Nobody predicted SC to turn things around this quickly, going 11-1 in 2022, and are inching closer to returning to glory. It's happening, and it's happening fast; the university knows it, the team knows it, the fans know it, and so do their opponents. 

If USC was a pushover before, they aren't anymore, and Oregon Ducks expert Don Smalley is one who knows it, as he stated in his latest column that every Pac-12 team will have USC circled on their calendar from here on out. 

“For every team in the Pac-12, except USC of course, their biggest game will be against … USC. They are the conference favorite and with a Heisman Trophy winner at quarterback, the Trojans could very well play their way into the College Football Playoff.”

(via Trojans Wire)

This is how it should always be with USC. The Trojans are among college football elites, and the game is better when they are among the top. 

The crazy thing about USC is that this is just the beginning. Riley, the coaching staff, and the team set the tone in year one, and they will continue to put the hammer down on their opponents and show they are back in a big way. 

We can't wait to see what else Riley and the program bring to their school and fans.