The Utah Utes have won back-to-back Pac-12 titles, and they ruined the USC Trojans’ hopes of a College Football Playoff spot last season. This time around, USC is the favorite in the Pac-12, especially with Caleb Williams returning.
However, the Trojans will have a massive target on their backs, and they need to be ready for it (h/t Patrick Conn of College Sports Wire).
“USC is another team looking to get back to the national stage as one of the premier teams in the country,” Conn wrote. “Lincoln Riley gave them a boost last season sending the Trojans to the New Years Six for the first time since 2017, that year they also played in the Cotton Bowl Classic. In the final year of the Big Ten for USC, everyone will be gunning for them.”
Georgia, Alabama, and Texas are a few other teams Conn mentions, as well as Riley’s former employer, Oklahoma.
It is fascinating to see how pressure applies to different prominent teams in Power Five conferences across the country. Check out Conn’s article for the full list of teams which will need to show they can handle the heat in 2023.
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