USC Bowl Projections: Where do the Trojans appear headed for the holidays?
The USC Trojans still have plenty of work to do this season to earn a bowl bid. A game at home this weekend against the Nebraska Cornhuskers feels like a must-win as Lincoln Riley’s team needs to find two wins against Nebraska, UCLA and No. 8 Notre Dame over the final three weeks of the season.
Here’s a look this week around the various outlets and where they project the Trojans to play (or not play) this bowl season.
LA Bowl – Dec. 18 in Los Angeles against UNLV
Last week: Same projection
USC has never appeared in the Los Angeles Bowl as this will be only its fourth year in existence. The Trojans are 2-0 all-time against the Rebels, picking up wins in 1997 and 2018. Obviously with Jayden Maiava now taking over as the starting quarterback, this matchup would generate quite a bit of interest locally. Maiava was the starting quarterback for the Rebels much of last season before leaving via the transfer portal.
Sun Bowl – Dec. 31 in El Paso against Georgia Tech
Last week: Sun Bowl vs. Virginia Tech
USC is 0-3 all-time at the Sun Bowl, including a 21-7 loss to Georgia Tech to cap off a disastrous 2012 season. The two teams are 2-2 all-time against each other.
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* ESPN
No Bowl Game
Last Week: Sun Bowl – Dec. 31 in El Paso against Duke (Mark Schlabach)
Independence Bowl – Dec. 28 in Shreveport, Louisiana against UCF (Kyle Bonagura)
UCLA’s win against Iowa was impressive enough that both ESPN writers dropped the Trojans for the Bruins in their selections. UCLA now appears in Schlabach’s Sun Bowl projection and Bonagura’s LA Bowl projection.
Alamo Bowl – Dec. 28 in San Antonio, Texas against Kansas State
Last week: Sun Bowl – Dec. 31 in El Paso against Duke
A spot in the Alamo Bowl would come with a big-time finish for the Trojans. If that’s how it plays out and Kansas State is the opponent, the Trojans would be looking for their first-ever win against the Wildcats. That potential could result in a pretty intriguing dual-threat quarterback matchup between Maiava and Avery Johnson of Kansas State.
No Bowl Game
Last Week: Same projection
No Bowl Game
