USC Football Roundup: How many games will USC win in 2018? (5/29)

Vegas predicts the Trojans win total while the conference crown is projected elsewhere. Here’s the USC football roundup for May 29th.

How many games will USC football win in 2018? That’s the question on everyone’s mind, especially with win total projections hitting the internet this week.

South Point Casino and Hotel predicted win totals for all 130 teams in college football, as reported by Otis Kirk of 247Sports, with the Trojans hitting 8.5 wins in the 2018 regular season. That means Vegas is expecting USC to lose three to four games.

Is that a reasonable prediction?

Clay Helton is still undefeated at the Coliseum during his tenure as USC’s head coach and he’s largely won the games the Trojans were expected to win.

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With that in mind, it’s simple to project home victories over UNLV, Colorado, Arizona State and Cal and a road win over Oregon State. That’s five likely wins to pencil in.

The rest of USC’s matchups are tougher to call. Road games against Stanford, Texas and Arizona in the opening month of the season will be difficult, as will home tilts with Washington State and Notre Dame. Not to mention wildcard matchups against Utah at Rice-Eccles Stadiuma and Chip Kelly’s UCLA in mid November.

The Trojans will likely be favored over Washington State, Utah and UCLA, which leaves right around four true “danger” games for Clay Helton and company.

In that sense, it feels like South Point has it just about right. USC won’t lose all seven of those tough games mentioned, but going 4-3 through that slate is certainly within the realm of possibility.

The important thing is how the Trojans lose. Breaking in a new-look offense, a couple of early losses would be no surprise. However, late embarrassments to UCLA or Notre Dame would no doubt put a sour taste in the mouths of USC fans.

Huskies favored in the Pac-12

Speaking of sour tastes, Bleacher Report predicted every conference winner for 2018 and they do not see USC repeating as Pac-12 Champions.

It’s Myles Gaskin and the Washington Huskies who get the headline in the conference, with Stanford as the biggest threat for the crown.

Right now, that’s no great disrespect to USC. Until the Trojans figure out the quarterback situation, don’t expect them to be the media darlings this offseason.

Offensive prospects who will be NFL stars

Porter Gustin got a mention on NFL.com’s list of future defensive stars in the NFL, but no Trojans made the cut on the offensive list released by Chase Goodbread on Tuesday.

Since USC lost their leading passer, rusher and receiver to the NFL this year, that’s no surprise. But there are still talents in cardinal and gold who could force their way into that conversation.

No. 1 and 2 on that list may be Tyler Vaughns and Michael Pittman, receivers who appear poised for a big season. And of course, Stephen Carr could very well find himself on the 19 for ’19 list next year.

Trojan Trivia

USC’s record for tackles in a season belongs to Rex Moore in 1986 with 206. That same year, Tim McDonald had 140 tackles on his own.