Overlooked distinction in Big Ten will need to be overcome by USC

It can be somewhat difficult to predict what is to come for USC in 2025. The most optimistic voices have the Trojans potentially as a solidified College Football Playoff team. Some of the more pessimistic voices believe that this team will be fighting for and attempting to grit out eligibility for a bowl game.

A reasonable expectation for this Trojan team, though, is for coach Lincoln Riley to find a way to push the right buttons that ultimately has USC sitting at around nine wins by the end of the regular season. Certainly double digits are also possible. It does need to be remembered, however, that USC is in the Big Ten. Anything can happen. Teams in this conference do a good job of muddying the waters and making life more difficult than what would initially appear to the eye.

While not on the Trojan schedule for this year, look at a team like Minnesota. The Golden Gophers tend to be able to stay in games against teams on paper that most would not expect them to be able to. Coach P.J. Fleck more often than not has his team ready for a battle that will last all four quarters, coming down to who can manage to execute better down the stretch.

Widespread pattern in USC's new conference

This is not just a quality that is unique to Minnesota either. Iowa, who is on the schedule for USC this season, is another example of a team that can hide some of its weaknesses and limitations, forcing the opponent to play left-handed.

Because of this aspect, truthfully nothing should be taken for granted in the Big Ten. Each win as it comes deserves to be celebrated. For USC, the move to this conference is going to force the Cardinal and Gold to simply be better all-around and more buttoned-up throughout the program.

There have been many positive glimpses of this during the offseason and during camp. Now, USC fans will be if the team truly is ready to compete at a high level again as a storied program.