Tag: usc san jose state

Trojans Wired podcast previews USC season opener versus San Jose State

What are the main plot points to keep track of against San Jose State? We discuss. @IanHest produced the show.

The eight long months of waiting for the new college football season to start have finally come to an end. We have arrived at game week. USC begins its 2023 college football season against San Jose State on Saturday, August 26, inside the Los Angeles Coliseum.

The Trojans begin one of the most anticipated seasons in recent memory. Caleb Williams will try to defend his Heisman Trophy. Lincoln Riley will try to win a Pac-12 football championship before the conference either ceases to exist or takes on a distinctly different and diminished identity. USC football tries to regain top-tier status in college football after a very good 2022 season which was both a step forward for the program and yet a campaign which ended with two gut-punch losses.

What do you need to look for in this season opener against San Jose State? What does USC want — and need — to get from this game? We discuss the plot points to help you prepare for Saturday afternoon in the Coliseum.

Ian Hest produced the show:

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What does a successful season opener look like for USC football?

We talked to @MarkRogersTV at the @VoiceOfCFB about the main things #USC fans and coaches want to see on August 26.

The USC Trojans begin their much-anticipated 2023 college football season on Saturday against San Jose State. Fans and analysts are discussing what a successful home opener looks like. Let’s dive into this conversation.

Obviously, the avoidance of significant injuries is something USC and every team needs from a first game. In terms of more specific keys — what we want to see from the game flow and from the roster — two goals stand out above other legitimate needs for the Trojans.

The first really important goal is to win the game by halftime or at least the first few minutes of the third quarter. Make sure this game is done and dusted as early as possible so that the backups can get a lot of work and the coaching staff can evaluate a lot of players.

Alex Grinch needs to see a lot of defensive players on the field so that the teaching process can accelerate through the early part of the season. Lincoln Riley needs to give Miller Moss and Malachi Nelson ample work so that they’re ready in case Caleb Williams gets hurt, and more centrally so that they will develop before 2024, when one of the two will lead this team into the Big Ten.

The second big goal for USC against San Jose State: Demonstrate improved physical toughness on the defensive line. Stop the run game. Don’t get bullied. Establish a new standard for run defense which can set a new tone for this defense in 2023.

We talked more about these goals with Mark Rogers at The Voice of College Football:

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San Jose State reporter previews USC’s season opener vs the Spartans

At the @VoiceOfCFB, @MattWeiner20 of @TheSpearSJSU offered a detailed inside look at USC’s opponent this Saturday.

It is game week. Those four simple words are the words college football fans love to hear and read. We have a college football game to preview this week at USC. The Trojans and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish are the two high-profile national programs with a game in Week Zero on August 26. Notre Dame plays Navy in the morning. USC hosts San Jose State late in the afternoon at 5 p.m. in Los Angeles this Saturday.

You want a San Jose State preview? We are here to help. We joined our friend Mark Rogers at The Voice of College Football for our regular Monday night show. Our first segment was a San Jose State game preview with SJSU reporter Matt Weiner of The Spear, which covers San Jose State athletics.

Matt Weiner went in depth on the Spartans’ roster and its various position groups. We spent plenty of time breaking down the matchup between the San Jose State offense and the USC defense.

Here’s the full show, with the SJSU preview leading things off:

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USC vs San Jose State Prediction, Game Preview

USC vs San Jose State prediction and game preview. Saturday, September 4

USC vs San Jose State prediction and game preview.

USC vs San Jose State Broadcast

Date: Saturday, September 4
Game Time: 5:00 ET
Venue: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA
Network: Pac-12 Network

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– All of the CFN Fearless Predictions

USC (0-0) vs San Jose State (1-0) Game Preview

Why San Jose State Will Win

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it was against Southern Utah, but San Jose State was solid from the start with 38 first half points in the 45-14 win.

There was a miscue late in the first half for a Thunderbird score, and the 11 penalties and two turnovers weren’t great, but it was the type of warm-up the defending Mountain West champ will use for this.

The pass rush is there, but it wasn’t turned loose last week. Nick Starkel threw for almost 400 yards, the running game averaged close to six yards per carry, and now it’s time to start bombing away against the Trojans.

Starkel is the type of veteran quarterback who won’t be the slightest bit fazed by this – he played at Arkansas and Texas A&M – but it’s the defense that should be the problem for the Trojans.

USC’s running game has to prove it can work, and the pass protection has to be a whole lot better, but …

– Week 1 College Football Expert Picks

Why USC Will Win

The passing game will be fantastic.

The offensive line is full of veterans, the receiving corps got a few strong parts from the transfer portal, and Kedon Slovis is now going into his third year as the main man to run the high-powered attack.

The defense should be able to pressure Starkel throughout, and the loaded secondary is good enough to force a few mistakes even if the Spartan offense is being careful. And then there’s the overall experience side …

– CFN Preseason Rankings, Schedules, Projected Records For All 130 Teams

What’s Going To Happen

USC might have had to replace a few starters on the defense, but the team is loaded with super seniors to at least bring the mature depth to handle a veteran squad like San Jose State.

The key will be handling what the Spartans are going to bring with the pass rush. Let’s just say they didn’t show their cards against Southern Utah, and now the heat is about to come from the outside.

USC will win, but they’ll have to keep trying and push a bit after getting out to a hot early start.

– CFN 2021 Preview of all 130 teams

USC vs San Jose State Prediction, Line

USC 38, San Jose State 23
USC -14, o/u: 59.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2

Must See Rating: 3

5: The Many Saints of Newark
1: Space Jam: A New Legacy

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– Week 1 College Football Schedule

USC Rejoins Notre Dame & UCLA – Good For Them, I Guess

I’ll admit as a fan that I like that Notre Dame has never gone to the FCS level in order fill out a schedule and hope they never do.  At the same time I’m well aware that it really doesn’t matter when you’re scheduling a good amount of poor programs.

Three teams in college football history have never played an FCS foe.  By this time you’re probably aware that Notre Dame is one while the two Los Angeles schools, UCLA and USC are the other two.

It appeared that USC was going to come off of that list as they had a 2021 game scheduled against UC-Davis but plans have changed and that has been called off because USC announced Thursday they’re replacing UC-Davis with San Jose State and will remain the small group to never play an FCS opponent.

I get it before you even start to get your thoughts and remarks in.  San Jose State is not good.  They’re awful, in fact.  They’ve won an average of three games each of their last four seasons and don’t look like they’ll be turning a corner anytime soon.

I however also know to try and not throw stones while living in a glass house.  Notre Dame is on this list but has played traditional powerhouses like Massachusetts, Miami of Ohio, Bowling Green, New Mexico in recent years.

I’ll admit as a fan that I like that Notre Dame has never gone to the FCS level in order fill out a schedule and hope they never do.  At the same time I’m well aware that it really doesn’t matter when you’re scheduling a good amount of poor programs.

So good for USC, I guess.

Even if it really doesn’t matter.