USC football fans don’t like the SEC, but if there’s one SEC team Trojan fans will be rooting for in 2022, it’s Ole Miss.
The Rebels have former USC head coach and coordinator Lane Kiffin, former USC quarterback Jaxson Dart, and former USC tight end Michael Trigg. Kiffin has rehabilitated his image as a head coach and public personality, learning from his stumbles at USC and making himself a much more sympathetic figure in college football. Dart was a popular quarterback who thrilled fans at USC and tried his best. Everyone understood that when Caleb Williams came to the Trojans, Dart had to transfer out of the program to get the playing time he deserves. Every USC fan wants Dart to succeed.
Michael Trigg has considerable natural talent. Trojan fans are pulling for him to do well in Oxford. The fact that Dart will throw footballs to him this season makes it even easier to root for Trigg.
All of these USC Rebels are part of a team which was ranked No. 21 in the Associated Press preseason college football poll. USC and Lincoln Riley are seven spots ahead at No. 14.
One has to wonder: Ole Miss plays in the SEC and USC plays in the much weaker Pac-12. Are these rankings reflections of the perceived difficulty of each conference? Phrased differently, would Ole Miss be 14 and USC 21 if their conferences were reversed?
At any rate, it will be fascinating to watch Ole Miss this year when we’re not locked in on the USC game on Saturdays.
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