Big year ahead, USC will be successful in 2025

There is a degree of uncertainty for USC heading into the 2025 season. That is, of course, true regardless. Seemingly, however, more so than in past years, there are a couple of unknown factors that will ultimately prove to be the determining factors for the Trojans.

For one, DJ Wingfield, who was expected to play a major role on the offensive line, is still engaged in a silly game from the NCAA that still has him unable to practice with the team. The Los Angeles Times' reporter Ryan Kartje shared on X that a judicial hearing is currently scheduled for August 18, which should see an end to this latest unnecessarily drawn-out saga for the lineman.

Another aspect is the degree to which the defense will be able to perform. While coach D'Anton Lynn has proven in the past his ability to get the most out of that unit and show improvement throughout the year.

Still, the extent to which this defense may or may not be better and their ability to get off the field at key times will be a hugely important question as the Trojans are preparing for the upcoming second year in the Big Ten.

Reasonable amount of optimism for USC

There is then the aspect of the play from the quarterback position. By all accounts, Jayden Maiava is not only a veteran but also now enters the year with significant prior experience in coach Lincoln Riley's system. Arguably most important, the way in which Maiava is able to execute as the USC quarterback will be the single biggest factor as to what the final Trojan record ends up looking like.

When taking everything into account, though, USC is in a great position to not only show improvement from last year but to also be a true contender in the Big Ten. At the highest upside, the Trojans will be in contention for a College Football Playoff spot. This is something that may seem unlikely to some but is entirely in the cards for USC.