New “Inside the Trojans’ Huddle” (9/5): Nevada review, Stanford preview, and viewer questions

In Tuesday’s edition of Inside the Trojans’ Huddle, panelists Marc Kulkins, Erik McKinney, Chris Arledge, and Greg Katz review the Nevada game, preview Saturday’s Pac-12 Conference opener for USC against Stanford, a new Big Ten lightning round, game predictions, and viewers’ questions and panel answers.   

In the first quarter of the Huddle, the panel looks at the positives and negatives of the Trojans’ Coliseum victory over Nevada. How did the panel see it? What were the takeaways from the offense, defensive, and special teams performances? Who stood out? Who disappointed? The panel seemed to agree on who should start at running back, but then half the panel came up with a surprise idea to appease that position group.  

In the second quarter of the Huddle, the panel previews the Pac-12 Conference opener for both the Trojans and the Stanford Cardinal. Is Stanford a real threat to upset the Trojans in the last Pac-12 meeting of the two private schools before the Trojans head to the Big Ten and Stanford to the Atlantic Coast Conference?

The panelists share their thoughts on what they will be looking for offensively and defensively against the rebuilding Stanford program under the new guidance of first-year head coach Troy Taylor. One panelist believes that Taylor is the perfect coach to test the USC defense because of his past success as an offensive coordinator. This panelist also believes Taylor will expose what he now thinks are the USC defensive weaknesses.

Before reaching the Halftime portion of the Huddle, the Huddle welcomes our exciting new sponsor in 2023, Gametime, an online ticket service. You’re invited to go to the official Gametime website (Gametime.co – not dot com) or download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code TROJANS for $20 off your first purchase (terms apply). Check out some great available tickets for the No. 6 Trojans’ upcoming game against Stanford this Saturday night, Sept. 9, in the Coliseum at 7:30 p.m. PT.

Halftime answers two questions by the panel: What are the panel’s favorite memories of the USC/Stanford rivalry, and the panel’s take on the Cardinal heading to the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2024? A majority of the panel believes that one game really stands out in the series, and it was a loss in the Coli. Did that give it away? Another panelist recalls how much legendary USC head coach John McKay hated Stanford. There are also the memories of the Bay Area Weekenders.

In terms of the panel and their thoughts about Stanford heading to the ACC in 2024, it was taken as “it’s just the way it is.” However, two panel members said it was sad that a West Coast team was going to play on the Atlantic seaboard.  

In the third quarter, the panel does its Big Ten Lightning Round Q&A to a series of quick-hitters that require “over or under” or “yes or no” or “fill-in-the-blank answers.” Some of the questions pertain to this Saturday’s game attendance, yardage predictions, Colorado, the USC and Stanford bands, and the future of Washington State and Oregon State, the last two remaining teams left in the once proud Pac-12.

There is a break in the action between the third and fourth quarter of the Huddle for the ceremonial and symbolic lighting of the WeAreSC Coliseum torch, just like at a USC Coliseum home game.

In the fourth quarter, the conversation turns to score predictions for Week 2 action. The panel picks the winners of selected Pac-12 games and a National Game of the Week prediction between Alabama and Texas. Who picked Alabama and who picked Texas?

In Overtime, the panel takes viewers’ questions relating to ranking the Trojans’ top freshmen to this point of the season, the Colorado upset threat, SC’s top go-to receiver, the Trojans’ secondary, and game films.

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USC Trojans videos from Los Angeles, California, from the staff of WeAreSC.