Yes, of course USC fans want the College Football Playoff, which is now one win away for the Trojans. Who wouldn’t want to make the playoff and rise to the top tier of the sport? However, let’s say USC loses to Utah in Friday’s Pac-12 Championship Game. We don’t want it to happen, but let’s say that it does.
Even if that worst-case scenario unfolds, USC has secured a really good bowl destination. The worst the Trojans can do now, as a result of their win over Notre Dame on Saturday night, is the Cotton Bowl, which is a New Year’s Six landing spot.
As we enter the world of bowl projections — which are now much easier to make, given that everyone’s regular season is over except for the small number of teams playing in conference championship games — let’s flesh out the scenarios so that you’re aware of them: