Beginning to USC season cannot come soon enough after months without football

There is a lot that can happen this year for USC. Until the ball is snapped, it is truly impossible to forecast how many wins this Trojan team will be able to string together in 2025.

There are high-end and low-end expectations for coach Lincoln Riley, now entering his second year in the Big Ten. Skeptics and pessimists believe USC will be fighting for a .500 record this year. The more optimistic Trojan voices believe this program has an outside shot of making the College Football Playoffs.

Regardless of where one lines up on this spectrum as a USC fan, there is a lot of anticipation to watch how the upcoming season unfolds.

Now in July, after months without football, that opening game against Missouri State will be a much-welcomed return to Trojan football. Even if only for one day among a sea of differing and equally passionate voices, fans will be unified through the feeling of finally being able to watch the Cardinal and Gold compete again on the gridiron.

People will have some players penciled in for those to watch. Veterans such as Kamari Ramsey and Ja'Kobi Lane are players for whom it's known what they bring to the table. A big year is expected of them. Then there are freshmen newcomers like Jahkeem Stewart and Gus Cordova, who are expected to have an important role early on. Finally, transfers such as Waymond Jordan and J'Onre Reed look like they are going to be able to fill in nicely at their positions.

A lot to be excited about for USC in 2025

All in all, this is a Trojan team that has a lot going for it. More importantly, after seeing something of a reset, the foundation is in place for USC to be best positioned to achieve some of the more ambitious goals.

A lot remains unknown, or at least not as clear as it will be by the time the season ends. That opening August 30 game feels so tantalizingly close, nonetheless. And that will be a great day worth celebrating for USC.