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Colin Cowherd makes bold prediction on USC, Oklahoma futures

by:Austin Brezina•04/19/22•

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Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Fox Sports analyst Colin Cowherd commented on USC‘s future with Lincoln Riley as their head coach, comparing them favorably to Oklahoma. According to Cowherd, USC will fully surpass Oklahoma’s football program within a year and a half because of the talented recruits the Trojans have been securing.

Colin Cowherd high on USC’s future

“Feel bad for Oklahoma football, USC gonna need about 18 months and they’ll be flying past em, around em, over em. This recruiting class will be other worldly. Best offensive head coach in college with these weapons. Can’t quit smiling,” said Cowherd.

Cowherd’s high praise and shot taken at Oklahoma comes with an important caveat according to his statement — that USC will need a year to fully reach their upcoming potential. The 2022 football season will begin with Riley taking over a USC program that has underperformed lately, while new Oklahoma coach Brent Venables takes control of Riley’s former program that he built.

Venables has had success of his own since taking over and beginning recruiting, but Cowherd and many others expect Riley to make waves in the Pac-12 Conference in a hurry.

As of now, USC has the highest rated 2023 recruiting class as ranked by On3’s Consensus Team Recruiting Rankings. While still early in the process, Riley has secured two five-star prospects — the most in the nation at this point. Of his standout recruits are Five Star Plus+ quarterback prospect Malachi Nelson, a talent earning the “Plus+” distinction in On3’s Consensus Rankings by being rated a five-star prospect by all four major recruiting media companies.

In addition to a future star quarterback, Riley has secured wide receiver commitments from five-star recruit Zachariah Branch and four-star recruit Makai Lemon. All added up, Riley has three of the top-50 players in the nation coming to the Trojans before the 2022 season even begins.

This year however, Riley could be in for a bit of a struggle as he builds what he’s working towards. USC ranks 51st in On3’s Consensus Team Recruiting Rankings for 2022, while the Sooners rank 8th in the nation.