USC is in position for a November to Remember with No. 19 CFP ranking

Coming off of arguably USC's biggest win since joining the Big Ten, the Trojans got more good news Tuesday when they were ranked 19th in the first College Football Playoff rankings.

USC was one of seven Big Ten teams in the rankings, joining Ohio State (No. 1), Indiana (No. 2), Oregon (No. 9), Iowa (No. 20), Michigan (No, 21) and Washington (No. 23). Going into tonight's first CFP rankings, it was expected that the Trojans put themselves in a good position to move up the polls if they win out and get in the 12-team playoff bracket.

USC gets even more than it asked for

We knew the Trojans' schedule sets up well for a surge. Three of the final four games are at home, and they will be favored in all three. The road against Oregon is a golden opportunity to shake the system with a win in Eugene. But tonight's rankings gave USC a bonus.

Iowa is not ranked in the AP Poll, but the Hawkeyes jumped in at No. 20 in the CFP rankings. In my opinion, that ranking is deserved. Iowa is a solid team this year and recently dragged Minnesota across Kinnick Stadium with an impressive 41-3 win. 

The Hawkeyes have Oregon at home this week, and it's a win-win for USC. If Iowa pulls off the upset, it raises the profile of the Nov. 15 game at the Coliseum. If Oregon wins on the road, it boosts the Ducks' resume for when USC visits Eugene on Nov. 22. 

The more high-profile games USC can have this month the better.

Lincoln Riley sees the opportunity

USC has everything in front of it, and it's exactly the place where Riley wants his team to be as momentum begins to build around the program. The recruiting class is the best in the nation and if this team, that's dealt with some youth and injuries, can compete for the playoffs deep into November, it speaks well to the direction of the program. 

"It's 'Championship November;, this is the time where, if you're going to do it, you have to play your best ball. You work all year to get to this time of the year when you've really got something big riding on it and some really cool things that you can accomplish," Riley said on Trojans Live.