USC is one of college football’s most intriguing teams to watch in 2016. Interim-turned-permanent coach Clay Helton has a brutal schedule to deal with in his first full year. The Trojans open against defending national champion Alabama, play at Stanford, Utah, Washington and UCLA and match up against Notre Dame, Oregon State and Arizona State at home.
USC Trojans Regular Season Win Total Odds at BookMaker.eu
Trojans Over 7.5 Wins +100
Trojans Under 7.5 Wins -120
2015 USC TROJANS SEASON REVIEW
Under most circumstances, 2015 would have qualified as a crazy year for any college team having to deal with the circus USC dealt with. The Trojans’ once promising season fell apart early and it wasn’t long before head coach Steve Sarkisian was suspended and ultimately fired for drinking on the job.
Five weeks into the season and the national championship aspirations were dashed with a 3-2 record and Sarkisian’s brief tenure was over. His dismissal opened the door for offensive coordinator Helton to show what he could do.
Under Helton’s leadership things quickly got better as the Trojans bounced back to defeat cross-town rival UCLA to claim the South title. A 41-22 loss to Stanford in the Pac-12 championship game prevented a Rose Bowl berth, and USC fell to Wisconsin on a last-minute field goal in the Holiday Bowl to finish 8-6.
WHAT CHANGED
Helton was also the offensive coordinator in 2015 so don’t expect many philosophical shifts. Helton has to break in a new quarterback after three-year starter Cody Kessler’s eligibility lapsed. Still, the Trojans likely have enough talent to compete for the Pac-12 South crown and Helton gives the program stability after a rocky few years. However, big question marks remain.
Under the new regime, the Trojans want to dictate the tempo with a power running game. It’s not only a philosophy, but also a smart play toward this year’s talent base. Helton’s best move may have been hiring Clancy Pendergast to coordinate the defense. No stranger to Troy, Pendergast piloted the defense in 2013. The Trojans love his approach of thinking less and attacking more.
2016 USC TROJANS REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE
Sep. 3: vs. Alabama
Sep. 10: vs. Utah State
Sep. 17: at Stanford
Sep. 23: at Utah
Oct. 1: vs. Arizona State
Oct. 8: vs. Colorado
Oct. 15: at Arizona
Oct. 27: vs. California
Nov. 5: vs. Oregon
Nov. 12: at Washington
Nov. 19: at UCLA
Nov. 26: vs. Notre Dame
2016 USC TROJANS SEASON PREVIEW
The Trojans will go into 2016 with what looks to be the hardest schedule of any team in the country. USC will get a chance to shine early, as they take on defending champion Alabama in Arlington to open the year. They get a break with a home game against Utah State, before back-to-back road games against Stanford and Utah. That’s about as tough as it gets for a Power 5 team in their first four games.
The introduction of Max Browne to big time college football will come soon enough. He’s expected to be the starter. Browne finally gets his chance four years after being named the National High School Player of the Year. Much of the success or failure of the offense will rest on his strong right arm.
Fortunately for Browne and Helton, the rest of the offense is experienced and deep. Ronald Jones and Justin Davis form one of the country’s top backfield combinations. Browne will also have access to superstar receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. However, someone other than JuJu needs to deliver big plays in the passing game.
There is a four-game stretch where USC should be able to gain some momentum in the middle of the schedule. They get home games against Arizona State, Colorado and California and a road game at Arizona. There’s another brutal four-game stretch to close out 2016. The Trojans are arguably one of the most talented teams in the Pac-12 and reaching eight wins is something this team can easily do.
College Football Odds: USC Trojans Over 7.5 Wins
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