Important USC season will shape perception of program moving forward in major way

It can absolutely be viewed as something of a slight to not have USC in the AP Top 25 Poll during the preseason. Because of this latest aspect, it appears that most would have the ceiling of the Trojans being at best 9-3 during the regular season. By all accounts, when looking at how some of the past seasons have unfolded, there would not be too many complaints over a nine-win year, with a bowl game to cap things off in 2025.

If, on the other hand, USC were to be closer to a four- or five-loss team, then some of the voices that are already critical of the program would become increasingly louder. Six or more losses would certainly turn the heat up for coach Lincoln Riley, and there would likely be a significant portion of the fan base that would then want for the athletic department to show the willingness to buy out the Trojan HC's contract and go after someone, perhaps even coach Nick Saban at that point.

That being said, any number of possibilities can unfold for USC this season. In a competitive Big Ten and with several difficult matches, the final win-loss record is going to be difficult to predict. Even in the event of someone getting the final tally correct, being able to predict how the games themselves unfold is a complete fool's errand.

What to expect from USC in future offseasons

At the highest of expectations, some are hoping to see USC be involved in the later discussions when it comes to the College Football Playoff picture.

Certainly the Trojans need to comfortably make a bowl game. Being around a nine-win team would likely be enough to maintain the building confidence around the program. Moving forward, the Trojans certainly do need to have their play in 2025 earn enough confidence for preseason polls and pundits to believe that USC has a realistic shot at least to be in the playoff discussion. That is something that is possible for the Trojans to achieve during the season to come.