(WR Zachariah Branch – USCfootball.com/247Sports)
Key Players Returning:
WR/RS Zachariah Branch, TE Lake McRae, OC Jonah Monheim, OG Emmanuel Pregnon, OT Mason Murphy, DE Jamil Muhammad, NT Bear Alexander, LB Mason Cobb, LB Eric Gentry, NB Jaylin Smith, SS Bryson Shaw, PK Denis Lynch, and PT Eddie Czaplicki.
Key Players Departing:
QB Caleb Williams (Bears R1), RB Austin Jones, RB MarShawn Lloyd, WR Brenden Rice (Chargers R7), WR Tahj Washington (Dolphins R7), WR Mario Williams (Tulane transfer), OC Justin Dedich, OT Jarrett Kingston (49ers R6), DE Soloman Byrd, DE Romello Height (Georgia Tech transfer), LB Tackett Curtis (Wisconsin transfer), CB Domani Jackson (Alabama transfer), CB Christian Roland-Wallace, FS Calen Bullock (Texans R3), and SS Max Williams.
(OL Jason Zandamela – 247Sports)
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: OL Jason Zandamela (Clearwater, Florida), EDGE Kameryn Fountain (Atlanta, Georgia), WR Xavier Jordan (Chatsworth, California), DS Kamari Ramsey (UCLA transfer), CB Marcelles Williams (Bellflower, California), DT Carlton Jones (Bay City, Texas), LB Easton Mascarenas-Arnold (Oregon State transfer), LB Elijah Newby (Cheshire, Connecticut), QB Jayden Maiava (UNLV transfer), and RB Jo’Quavious Marks (Mississippi State transfer).
2023 Results:
G01 SAN JOSE STATE W 56-28
G02 NEVADA W 66-14
G03 STANFORD W 56-10
G04 @ Arizona State W 42-28
G05 @ Colorado W 48-41
G06 ARIZONA W (3OT) 43-41
G07 @ #21 Notre Dame L 20-48
G08 #14 UTAH L 32-34
G09 @ California W 50-49
G10 #5 WASHINGTON L 42-52
G11 @ #6 Oregon L 27-36
G12 UCLA L 20-38
BOWL vs. #15 Louisville W 42-28
Team Info:
2023 Overall: 8-5 (6th in PAC12)
Home: 4-3
Away: 3-2
Neutral: 1-0
P12: 5-4
Non-P12: 3-1
Head Coach: Lincoln Riley
USC: 19-8
Career: 74-18
Bowl: 3-3
(DE Jamil Muhammad – 247Sports)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Miller Moss (46-65, 681 yards, 68.6%, 11.9 avg., 7 TD, 1 INT)
Rushing: Quinten Joyner (18 car., 477 yards, 6.9 avg., 1 TD)
Receiving: Zachariah Branch (31 rec., 320 yards, 10.3 avg., 2 TD)
TD’s Scored: Zachariah Branch (5)
Sacks: Jamil Muhammad (6.5)
Tackles: Mason Cobb (85)
Interceptions: Jacobee Covington/Eric Gentry (1)
Pass Deflections: Eric Gentry (5)
Tackles For Loss: Jamil Muhammad (10.5)
Forced Fumbles: Jamil Muhammad (2)
Kick Returns: Zachariah Branch (24 ret., 442 yards, 18.4 avg., 1 TD)
Punt Returns: Zachariah Branch (16 ret., 332 yards, 20.8 avg., 1 TD)
Kicking: Denis Lynch (10-14 fg/fga., 71%, 65-66 xp/xpa., 95 pts.)
Punting: Eddie Czapilicki (44 punts, 1906 yards, 43.3 avg., 15 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 7 Miller Moss (RS JR)
RB: 4 Woody Marks (RS SR/TR)
WR: 2 Duce Robinson (SO)
WR: 8 Ja’Kobi Lane (SO)
WR: 1 Zachariah Branch (SO)
TE: 87 Lake McRee (RS JR)
LT: 72 Elijah Paige (RS FR)
LG: 70 Emmanuel Pregnon (RS SR/TR)
OC: 79 Jonah Monheim (RS SR)
RG: 77 Alani Noa (SO)
RT: 76 Mason Murphy (RS JR)
KR: 1 Zachariah Branch (SO)
PK: 46 Denis Lynch (RS JR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 6 Anthony Lucas (JR/TR)
NT: 90 Bear Alexander (JR/TR)
DT: 99 Nate Clifton (RS SR/TR)
DE: 10 Jamil Muhammad (RS SR/TR)
LB: 4 Easton Mascarenas-Arnold (SR/TR)
LB: 13 Mason Cobb (RS SR/TR)
NB: 19 Jaylin Smith (SR)
CB: 19 John Humphrey (RS SR/TR)
CB: 14 Jacobe Covington (RS SR/TR)
FS: 7 Kamari Ramsey (SR SO/TR)
SS: 0 Akili Arnold (RS SR/TR)
PR: 1 Zachariah Branch (SO)
PT: 37 Eddie Czaplicki (SR/TR)
(LB Eric Gentry – USC Athletics)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: B
Punt Returners: A
Kickers: B
Punters: B
Schedule:
09/01 vs. LSU Tigers | The series is tied 1-1. The Trojans lost (3-23) the last meeting between schools in 1984, and they lost (17-12) the inaugural meeting in 1979.
09/07 UTAH STATE AGGIES | USC leads the series 6-0. The Trojans won (45-7) the last meeting between schools in 2016.
09/21 @ Michigan Wolverines | USC leads the series 6-4. The Trojans won (32-18) the last meeting between schools in 2007.
09/28 WISCONSIN BADGERS | USC leads the series 6-1. The Trojans lost (21-23) the last meeting between schools in 2015.
10/05 @ Minnesota Golden Gophers | USC leads the series 6-1-1. The Trojans won (9-17) the last meeting between schools in 2011.
10/12 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS | USC leads the series 6-4. The Trojans won (52-49) the last meeting between schools in 2016.
10/19 @ Maryland Terrapins | First meeting between schools.
10/25 RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS | First meeting between schools.
11/02 @ Washington Huskies | USC trails the series 51-31-4. The Trojans lost (42-52) last season’s meeting between schools, and their last series win (26-13) was in 2016.
11/16 NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS | USC leads the series 4-1. The Trojans won (45-42) the last meeting between schools in 2014.
11/23 @ UCLA Bruins | USC leads the series 50-34-7. The Trojans are 6-4 since 2014, and their last series win (48-45) was in 2022.
11/30 NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH | USC trails the series 37-49-5. The Trojans are 3-6 since 2014, and their last series win (38-27) was in 2022.
Predictions:
Home: 6-0
Away: 2-3
Neutral: 0-1
B10: 6-3
Non-B10: 2-1
Overall: 8-4 (7th in Big Ten)
gridironpredictions.net 