(Photo Credit: USA Today Sports)
Key Players Returning:
QB Jayden Maiava, WR Ja’Kobi Lane, WR/KR Makai Lemon, TE Lake McRee, OG Alani Noa, OT Elijah Paige, DE Kameryn Fountain, DE Braylan Shelby, DT Devan Thompkins, LB Eric Gentry, CB DeCarlos Nicholson, and FS Kamari Ramsey.
Key Players Departing:
QB Miller Moss, RB Quinten Joyner, RB Jo’quavious Marks, WR/PR Zachariah Branch, WR Kyle Ford, WR Kyron Ware-Hudson, WR Duce Robinson, OC Jonah Monheim, OG Emmanuel Pregnon, OT Mason Murphy, NT Gavin Meyer, LB Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, LB Mason Cobb, CB Jacobe Covington, NB Jaylin Smith, SS Akili Arnold, PK Michael Lantz, and PT Eddie Czaplicki.
Top 10 Recruits:
Blue Chip Recruits: QB Husan Longstreet (Carona, California).
4 Star Recruits: DL Jahkeem Stewart (New Orleans, Louisiana), OT Alex Payne (Gainesville, Georgia), DL Keeshawn Silver (Kentucky transfer), OT Aaron Dunn (Spanish Fork, Utah), LB Matai Tagoa’I (San Clemente, California), CB Trestin Castro (Upland, Georgia), OL DJ Wingfield (Purdue transfer), DT Jamaal Jarratt (Georgia transfer), and DS Alex Graham (Detroit, Michigan).
2024 Results:
G01 vs. #13 LSU W 27-20
G02 UTAH STATE W 48-0
G03 @ #18 Michigan L 24-27
G04 WISCONSIN W 38-21
G05 @ Minnesota L 17-24
G06 #4 PENN STATE L/OT 30-33
G07 @ Maryland L 28-29
G08 RUTGERS W 42-20
G09 @ Washington L 21-26
G10 NEBRASKA W 28-20
G11 @ UCLA W 19-13
G12 #5 NOTRE DAME L 35-49
BOWL vs. Texas A&M W 35-31
Team Info:
2024 Overall: 7-6 (9th in Big Ten)
Home: 4-2
Away: 1-4
Neutral: 1-0
P12: 4-5
Non-P12: 3-1
Head Coach: Lincoln Riley
USC: 26-14
Bowl: 4-3
Career: 81-24
(Photo Credit: USCFootball.com/247Sports)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Jayden Maiava (101-169, 1201 yards, 59.8%, 7.1 avg., 11 TD, 6 INT)
Rushing: Bryan Jackson (36 car., 188 yards, 5.2 avg., 1 TD)
Receiving: Makai Lemon (52 rec., 764 yards, 14.7 avg., 3 TD)
TD’s Scored: Ja’Kobi Lane (12)
Sacks: Braylan Shelby (3)
Tackles: Kamari Ramsey (60)
Interceptions: Kamari Ramsey/Desman Stephens (1)
Pass Deflections: Kamari Ramsey (5)
Tackles For Loss: Eric Gentry (7)
Forced Fumbles: Kamari Ramsey (2)
Kick Returns: Makai Lemon (19 ret., 514 yards, 27.1 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: None
Kicking: None
Punting: Ryon Sayeri (1 punts, 57 yards, 57.0 avg., 1 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 14 Jayden Maiava (RS JR/TR)
RB: 2 Waymond Jordan (JR/TR)
WR: 17 Prince Strachan (JR/TR)
WR: 8 Ja’Kobi Lane (JR)
WR: 6 Makai Lemon (JR)
TE: 87 Lake McRee (RS SR)
LT: 72 Elijah Paige (RS SO)
LG: 56 DJ Wingfield (RS SR/TR)
OC: 50 J’Onre Reed (RS SR/TR)
RG: 77 Alani Noa (JR)
RT: 73 Tobias Raymond (RS SO)
KR: 6 Makai Lemon (JR)
PK: 45 Caden Chittenden (SO/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 6 Anthony Lucas (SR/TR)
NT: 9 Keeshawn Silver (RS SR/TR)
DT: 98 Devan Thompkins (RS JR)
DE: 1 Kameryn Fountain (SO)
LB: 18 Eric Gentry (RS SR/TR)
LB: 23 Desman Stephens II (SO)
NB: 16 Prophet Brown (RS SR)
CB: 2 DJ Harvey (RS SR/TR)
CB: 25 Marcelles Williams (RS FR)
FS: 7 Kamari Ramsey (SR JR/TR)
SS: 19 Bishop Fitzgerald (RS SR/TR)
PR: 6 Makai Lemon (JR)
PT: 80 Sam Johnson (RS SR/TR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: B
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: A
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: B
Punters: B
Schedule:
08/30 Missouri State Bears | First meeting.
09/06 GEORGIA SOUTHERN EAGLES | First meeting.
09/13 @ Purdue Boilermakers | USC leads the series 3-1. The Trojans won (27-17) the last meeting in 1998, and they won (31-13) the prior meeting in 1976.
09/20 MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS | The series is tied 4-4. The Trojans lost (16-17) the last meeting in 1990, and they lost (17-20) the prior meeting in 1987.
09/27 @ Illinois Fighting Illini | USC leads the series 11-2. The Trojans won (49-17) the last meeting in 2007, and they won (55-3) the prior meeting in 1996.
10/11 MICHIGAN WOLVERINES | USC leads the series 6-5. The Trojans lost (24-27) last season’s meeting, and they won (32-18) the prior meeting in 2006.
10/18 @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish | USC trails the series 37-50-5. The Trojans are 2-7 since 2015, and their last series win (38-27) was in 2022.
11/01 @ Nebraska Cornhuskers | USC leads the series 5-0-1. The Trojans won (28-20) last season’s meeting, and they won (45-42) the prior meeting in 2014.
11/08 NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS | USC leads the series 5-0. The Trojans won (41-32) the last meeting in 1996, and they won (48-6) the prior meeting in 1969.
11/15 IOWA HAWKEYES | USC leads the series 7-3. The Trojans lost (24-49) the last meeting in 2019, and they won (38-17) the prior meeting in 2002.
11/22 @ Oregon Ducks | USC leads the series 38-23-2. The Trojans are 1-4 since 2015, and they lost (27-36) the last meeting in 2023.
11/29 UCLA BRUINS | USC leads the series 51-34-7. The Trojans are 7-3 since 2015, and their last series loss (20-38) was in 2023.
Predictions:
Home: 5-2
Away: 3-2
Neutral: 0-0
B10: 5-4
Non-B10: 3-0
Overall: 8-4 (9th in B10)
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