EA Sports published a surprising opinion of USC's defense for the 2024 season

When EA Sports releases the first college football video game in 11 years next month, USC will feature the 16th-best defense. In surprising news, the video game juggernaut revealed the Trojans' defense will be rated 86 overall. Indeed, USC's collective defensive rating tops Auburn (86 OVR), LSU (84 OVR), and Texas A&M (84 OVR).

Yesterday, several Trojan fans were disappointed to see EA Sports rated USC's offense 25th in the game with an 83 overall rating. Ironically, EA went in the opposite direction for defense by (arguably) overrating the Trojans' unit ahead of the 2024 season.

Terrible defense remains the Achilles' heel of Lincoln Riley's program and the cause of 2023's disappointing 7-5 finish. USC ended last season ranked 116th nationally in total defense, including 5,627 yards and 59 touchdowns surrendered. Only 14 college football teams gave up more yards per game than the Trojans (432.8) last season.

The awful performance resulted in Riley cleaning house by firing defensive coordinator Alex Grinch and, eventually, all of Grinch's assistants.

D'Anton Lynn was hired away from UCLA a month after Grinch's dismissal. Lynn spent several seasons as an NFL safeties coach before assuming the defensive coordinator role at UCLA. In two seasons, the former NFL and CFL defensive back vaulted the Bruins' defense nationally from the No. 87 to No. 11 unit.

Riley also hired former Los Angeles Rams defensive assistant Eric Henderson as a co-defensive coordinator. Henderson's specialty is stopping the run game, which he proved last season when the Rams finished 2023 ranked No. 8 in NFL run defense. Moreover, Henderson is establishing himself as an elite college football recruiter.

Subpar defensive personnel has also plagued Riley's tenure in Southern California. To that, the USC head coach leveraged the transfer portal to gain upgrades in multiple positions. Defensive backs Kamari Ramsey and John Humphrey were recruited from UCLA, where they served as key pieces to Lynn's unit.

The Trojans also brought in cornerback DeCarlos Nicholson (Mississippi State), linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold (Oregon State), safety Akili Arnold (Oregon State), and defensive lineman Nate Clifton (Vanderbilt).

We suggest taking EA Sports College Football 25 ratings with a grain of salt because there's an element to them designed for stirring debate. For example, Colorado's defense is ranked No. 20 and rated 84 overall. Nevertheless, it is nice to see USC receive some preseason respect from a team that spent months researching college football rosters and coaching staffs.

EA Sports College Football 25 is scheduled for national release on July 19.