100 days until USC kicks off against Missouri State with high hopes and big questions

Only a little over three months away, USC will be opening up the 2025 season against Missouri State. There are a lot of mixed feelings within the fan base about what to expect.

The schedule appears winnable enough, but there is understandable room to refrain from being too overly excited, particularly after how 2024 ended up unfolding.

Having a fair amount of anticipation to see how things play out is reasonable enough to have. Yes, there have been many important players who have now left the program. Coach Lincoln Riley has done a nice job through the incoming freshmen and the transfer portal to replenish the talent that has left the building.

Then look at the players that Trojan fans are aware of. There are a couple of good USC players who are being overlooked by the majority of the rest of college football, but Trojan supporters know that they have starting-caliber skill levels.

Certainly, from the players who will have made improvements over the offseason and how this roster has been supplemented, this should be a team that does better in the win-loss column. With a little luck and the ball bouncing in USC's favor, 10+ wins could be on the horizon.

Perhaps the aspect that is most frustrating for now is simply not knowing. Projecting and attempting to decipher future performance will always inherently be a form of educated guesswork at best.

Until the opening kickoff and USC gets into the heat of Big Ten play (as well as their lone remaining scheduled non-conference fixture against Notre Dame), there is no telling what could happen.

A lot at stake for USC

With a century's worth of days remaining until we officially begin to receive some answers, things are looking promising. The future and even current operations within the program are improved, and there is a lot to like about what this coach Riley staff is building in Los Angeles.

This upcoming season will come with a lot of pressure. For all of the great groundwork that is being established by the current staff, CFB shows just how quickly years' worth of efforts can also go up in smoke if the school decides to clean house.

For those doubtful about the upcoming year's prospects, the onus is on USC to prove any naysayers wrong. There is enough that is positive, though, to believe that this will be a good season and will be strong enough to show that coach Riley is the right person to lead the Trojans.