AP Top 25 preseason poll shows strength of USC's conference home, the Big Ten

As has been evident through the past seasons in college football, the Big Ten has completely caught up with the SEC. The SEC enjoyed certain advantages through the 2000s. Since all programs (while indirectly before this year) now have the ability to pay players, the Big Ten has shown that they have certain advantages over the SEC that are continuing to show up on the field.

The initial preseason AP Top 25 Poll has five of the top 15 teams from the Big Ten. There are some teams that could very easily be in the mix to be ranked as the season unfolds, including USC.

To now see the recognition of the strength of this conference being acknowledged makes it so that the Trojans will need to continue to keep pace with the rest of their conference competition.

Granted, there are teams included in the AP Top 25 Poll that have important questions that need to be answered, particularly at quarterback.

Ohio State, Oregon, and Michigan are going to pin their hopes on someone who has yet to prove themselves to be a quality starter in the Big Ten.

By the same token, teams like USC, Iowa, and Nebraska could easily see themselves in the mix throughout the season. A lot of movement is about to take place, and initial preseason expectations are not likely to hold up for too long, as is the case in any year.

Big tests for USC in BIG

Being in this conference makes it so that USC is always going to have a difficult road ahead for any potential College Football Playoff push. Now the focus will need to continue to be on the Trojans pushing the limits and matching the quality in America's best conference.

If this preseason poll shows anything, it is that USC is going to be forced to meet the challenge of playing in the Big Ten.