O/NSO: Cotton Bowl edition – CFP No. 10 USC vs CFP No. 16 Tulane Green Wave
The Obvious: In Monday's final game of the 2022 USC Trojans football season, the CFP No. 10 Trojans (11-2, 8-1 Pac-12) will face the CFP No. 16 Tulane Green Wave (11-2, 7-1 American Athletic Conference) in the 87th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic (Noon CT, 10 a.m. PT, 1 p.m. ET/ESPN) in the celebrated football cathedral known as AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Not So Obvious: From a 4-8 record and no bowl in 2021 to a current 11-2 season in 2022 with a chance for the Trojans to finish the season 12-2 and in the Top 10 or the option of riding into the off-season (deep sigh) 11-3 on a two-game losing streak, a lot is on the line. With still another prep recruiting signing period in February and two recruiting transfer portal windows still in play (January and May), the off-season recruiting narratives couldn't be more opposite. Call the Cotton Bowl outcome a clear choice of positive cardinal and gold momentum moving forward or a nauseating, explaining-to-do bellyflop.
