We at Trojans Wire are following various commentators and analysts — in written articles, on YouTube shows, on podcasts, everywhere in the media sphere — to see where they are picking USC to finish in the Pac-12 this year.
We’re also following these same commentators to see if they think any USC players or coaches will win Pac-12 awards.
For the most part, USC isn’t getting a lot of preseason love. Jordan Addison is getting a few Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year votes, but most of the people we’ve seen do not have Caleb Williams winning that award. We need to look at a wider cross-section of Pac-12 Coach of the Year predictions, but among the few we have seen, Lincoln Riley is not getting a majority of votes.
Utah is the majority pick to win the Pac-12 title in 2022. Oregon has been ranked ahead of USC in the Pac-12 media poll, the USA TODAY Coaches Poll, and the Associated Press college football poll.
Skepticism toward USC in 2022 is pervasive.
Finally, however, some commentators think the Trojans are going to do well.
Three of the four co-hosts on the No Truck Stops podcast have USC going 10-2.
Just to be clear here, a pick of 9-3 is a middle-ground position on USC this year. Anyone who picks USC to go 10-2 or better can reasonably be viewed as a believer in the Trojans. Anyone who picks USC to go 8-4 or worse is a fierce skeptic. 9-3 lands in the middle.
The No Truck Stops team had three 10-2 picks, one 9-3 pick.
It’s a refreshing vote of confidence for the Trojans.
Interestingly, however, none of those same panelists think Lincoln Riley will win Pac-12 Coach of the Year. Arizona making a bowl game could elevate Jedd Fisch over Riley. If Oregon State goes 10-2, as some have predicted, yes, that would elevate Jonathan Smith over Riley.
We’ll see how it all unfolds soon enough.
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