Vital two-game stretch ahead for USC

This is a critical area of the USC schedule. It is not ideal for the Trojans to be having two back-to-back opponents who are currently ranked to be up next following a disappointing loss.

Up first is Michigan. The Wolverines have done well despite starting an unproven freshman in Bryce Underwood and having lost many of the important pieces from their championship run from two seasons ago.

The Trojans will then head to South Bend for their next matchup to play Notre Dame.

Despite the difficult challenge ahead, USC has to simply find a way to string consecutive wins together. Granted, a hypothetical 9-3 year would not be a disaster. Losing three in a row would provide a highly uncomfortable feeling around the program, and it would not leave too much room for wiggle room at all for the Trojans to show through their record that there have indeed been the needed changes and improvements in Troy.

Perhaps more importantly, USC simply needs to show that they can embrace these more difficult matchups and end up on the other side of four quarters as the winner. For most other programs, moral victories would be good enough.

This is USC, however. While it would be silly to even hint at the program being anywhere near where it was at its peak, the standard cannot be allowed to drop any further.

Potential pathway for USC

In the best-case scenario, this is a team that is talented enough to still make the College Football Playoff. Even going 1-1 over the next two games would put the Trojans in a more difficult position to accomplish this. It would essentially force USC to run the table the rest of the way, barring a complete miracle. across the rest of college football.

The matchups against Michigan and Notre Dame will be hugely telling.