USC Football Schedule: Bold Game-By-Game Predictions
Three weeks away from the USC Trojans kickoff versus Fresno State there is much anticipation and excitement on the upcoming 2014-15 season. The Trojans landed the best recruiting class in the Pac-12 and return a vast majority of key contributors from last year’s 10-4 team, including Leonard Williams, a surefire top-five NFL draft pick in 2015.
Lack of experience on the offensive line is the team’s biggest con. Implementation of the no-huddle offense will challenge the lineman and the team’s offensive rhythm, considering the Trojans only return two starters to their front unit.
Below are the predicted results of the USC Trojans’ first season under Steve Sarkisian.
Sat, Aug 30th vs. Fresno State
USC tunes up for Stanford at Fresno State’s expense. This game may get out of hand early and Max Browne may get his fair share of reps once the Bulldogs failed attempt at avenging a Las Vegas Bowl blowout becomes chippy. Kessler throws 3 TD’s, Javorius Allen and Tre Madden both earn rushing touchdowns, then Sarkisian runs the score up with his 2nd units. Score: USC 48, Fresno St. 10.
Sat, Sep 6th at Stanford
USC’s statement game. The Cardinal lost a ton of key contributors on defense and despite the returns of Kevin Hogan and Ty Montgomery, the Trojan defense will make life quite complicated for Stanford. USC, and Leonard Williams will command an early national spotlight in a 2 touchdown win in a rival game on the road. Score: USC 31, Stanford 17.
Sat, Sep 13th at Boston College
Steve Sarkisian will keep his team motivated and focused in a huge lopsided win over Boston College. USC begins to look like the flashy, video game stat-like team we remember from the Pete Carroll days. Su’a Cravens will have a huge day for the USC secondary that gives the nation a glimpse of just how good the USC defense is with record intercpetions. Score: USC 52, BC 14.
Sat, Sep 27th vs. Oregon State
Oregon St has given USC their fair share of heart aches. Sarkisian will enforce in the Trojans to not fall to the dreaded “trap game.” The Trojans will roll on to 4-0 behind Sark’s ability to prevent the Trojans from looking ahead and lacking focus to the Arizona State game upcoming. Score: USC 34, Oregon St. 13.
Sat, Oct 4th vs. Arizona State
Revenge game. A high number of USC players may have the Arizona St. game marked on their calendar as it serves as a painful reminder of a team dominated and embarrassed on national tv. The Sun Devils won’t roll over and will fight the Trojans hard, but Cody Kessler and the USC defense will come through and manage USC to pull away late in the 4th quarter. Trojans improve to 5-0. Score: USC 44, Arizona St. 35.
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Sat, Oct 11th at Arizona
Arizona’s lack of experience at quarterback and running back will inevitably hinder an early run at knocking off a USC team that begins to hear rumbling of national title hopes in the near future. USC survives a scare on the back of Tre Madden and Javorius Allen. Score: USC 31, Arizona 27.
Sat, Oct 18th vs. Colorado
Colorado’s Mike MacIntyre has done a good job of improving a Colorado program that has largely been moving backwards for years. Unfortunately that will not play much a factor on the road in Los Angeles. USC’s Nelson Agholor begins to generate a high buzz among the country’s elite, as well as NFL draft boards, as USC improves to 7-0. Score: USC 44, Colorado 15.
Sat, Oct 25th at Utah
USC begins a crucial two-week road tour that can literally make or break the season. USC scares fans by coming out flat in the first half but get their wits about themselves and calmly cruise to 8-0 on the backs of the defensive line and line backers core. And, the USC for the national title talk begins. Score: USC 24, Utah, 14.
Sat, Nov 1st at Washington State
The dreaded trap game has arrived. Washington in November. Wind, rain, cold, fog. Bad memories of dark nights in Washington as well as Oregon that have thwarted seasons of the past haunt the Trojan fans. Mike Leach starts to become a huge thorn in USC’s side. Trojans play hard, but fall due to mistakes at inopportune moments. National title hopes are not all lost due to dates vs. UCLA and Notre Dame, but the Trojans are upset, figuratively and literally. Score: Washington St. 17, USC 15.
Thu, Nov 13th vs. California
USC regroups and looks highly focused as they run California off the field at home. Score: USC 51, California 21.
Sat, Nov 22nd at UCLA
An 9-1 USC team faces a 9-1 UCLA team for all the marbles in the Pac-12 South division. Both teams send a message to all Pac 12 foes that the future of the conference will run through the Los Angeles area in a hard-hitting defensive game. However, this game falls on the leg of Andre Heidari in an overtime thriller that crushes UCLA’s Pac 12 title hopes. Score: USC 20, UCLA 17
Sat, Nov 29th vs. Notre Dame
The Trojans have not beaten Notre Dame in Los Angeles since 2008. The season finale of the Trojans will hold of utmost importance for the Trojan upperclassmen to beat the Irish for the first time in 2 years. Kessler and the running game get the job done and the Trojans celebrate winning their division against all odds. Score: USC 20, Notre Dame 16.
All the marbles to earn a spot in the playoff picture for the Trojans will ultimately boil down to a matchup with Oregon. Steve Sarkisian will prove beyond all obstacles that USC is back to being a contender. USC MAY come up short but will inevitably prove that they will remain a Pac 12 power. And, this is only the beginning.