USC had a chance at the College Football Playoff in previous weeks but still needed help.
This past weekend, the Trojans got the help they needed. They are now in an unambiguous “win and in” position relative to the playoff. They were an outsider. Tennessee and LSU were insiders, teams which fully controlled their own fates.
Now USC is the team which controls its own fate.
It is a great place to be, but it can be a scary one, too.
USC could worry that it will lose. It could worry that it will miss this golden opportunity. Utah can play the underdog role to the hilt and put a target on USC’s back, even though the Utes beat the Trojans earlier this season.
It’s really important for USC to find a way to play freely and confidently, and block out the worries and distractions that go with playoff pressure, when it faces Utah this Friday in Las Vegas. We joined Mark Rogers at The Voice of College Football on our weekly YouTube show to discuss this and a whole lot more:
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