Paul Finebaum, Stephen A. Smith debate whether USC can make the 2023 College Football Playoff

Stephen A. Smith and Paul Finebaum are two of the more outspoken personalities in sports media, never afraid to push back against others if they disagree about a topic. However, both Smith and Finebaum feel the same about USC heading into the 2023 college football season. They don’t expect the Trojans to reach the College Football Playoff this year.

Finebaum says there’s no doubt USC has a star in Caleb Williams, but he has question marks about other parts of the roster.

“He’s a great player. We know that. He won’t win the Heisman, because nobody has done it in nearly 50 years [back-to-back] and there’s just too many things that can go wrong,” Finebaum said Friday morning on First Take. “But the problem I see for USC is still the defense. … I remember that Cotton Bowl… they blew a 15-point lead to Tulane. I realize that was last season, but I still can’t trust that defense.”

USC went to the transfer portal this offseason in hopes of shoring up the defense, but it remains to be seen what kind of impact the additions will have.

While the Trojans have new faces on their roster, Lincoln Riley retained defensive coordinator Alex Grinch.

“Alex Grinch has done a reasonable job getting players in the portal, but they crashed and burned against Utah twice,” Finebaum said. “They were out-physicaled and they still have to deal with Utah at home. They have to go to Oregon. It’s a very tough league this year… and USC will not get it done. They will not get to the playoff.”

Stephen A. Smith has a different reason why he believes USC will miss out on the College Football Playoff. He points to the schedule as an issue.

“You know what turns me off more than anything Paul Finebaum? The daggone schedule, for crying out loud,” Smith said. “I’m just looking at this right now and I’m saying, ‘Excuse me, what am I to be excited about?’ … When you’re talking about the College Football Playoff, yea you’re talking about records. But at some point in time you’re going to look at the level of competition you’re going against.”

Smith feels that outside of Notre Dame, there’s not a true contender on the schedule. If USC drops a game, he believes the committee will keep USC out. He also pointed out that TCU getting blown out by Georgia in last year’s CFP could work against USC.

“I think something like that hurts a team like USC, because you look at the level of competition they’re going against… yes, Lincoln Riley is there,” Smith said. “But when you look at their schedule, on top of what you just said, I’m like, ‘Well damn, other than Notre Dame, why am I interested really in who you’re playing against?’ That’s my problem.”