Here's the background so far on the teams to be played...The teams are broken down by record in 2018 (All/ Conf. play), Ave. score on O and D in 2018. Returning position starters in 2019. Those in pros (Drafted or Free Agents), Lost starters from 2018 by position. Key Personnel Losses from 2018. Commentary.
Sat, Aug 31 vs. Fresno State. They were very good in 2018: 12-2/ 7-1 MW conf. O-34.6ppg, D-14.1ppg . In 2019: Returning starters: 3 on O, 5 on D. Pros: 1 drafted plus 2 FAs. Lost: Offense -QB, RB, 3WR, 2OL. Defense -2DL, 2LB, CB, S. Key Losses: Passing game (QB+ 3 WR), 4 of back 7 D starters, -Better than UNLV of 2018, not as good as the FSU of 2018.
Sat, Sep 7 vs. Stanford . The team was a good, but not great team in 2018: 9-4/ 6-3 P12. O-28.4 ppg, D-22.9 ppg. In 2019: Returning starters: 3 on O, 5 on D. Pros: 5 drafted plus 4 FAs. Starters Lost: O-RB, FB, 2 WR, 4OL. D- DE, 3LB, CB, SS. P. Key Losses: RB- Bryce Love, WR- Arcega-Whiteside, LBs- Okereke and Barton. Solid, but not as good as Stanford of 2018 and USC has them at home.
Sat, Sep 14 @ BYU . They were an average team in 2018 7-6. O-27.2 ppg, D-21.4 ppg . In 2019: Returning starters: 6 on O, 6 on D. Pros: 5 drafted plus 2 FAs. Starters Lost: O- RB, 2WR, 2OL. D- DE, 3LB, CB, P. Key Losses: LB- Takitaki, TE- Bushman, DB- Ghanwoloku. A competitive team with a decent QB (Zach Wilson) in USCs first road game, but hardly the same toughness as playing Texas in Austin in 2018.
Fri, Sep 20 vs. Utah They were good in 2018 9-5/ 6-4 P12. O-28.1 ppg. D- 19.4. In 2019: Returning starters: 8 on O, 6 on D. Pros: 5 drafted plus 2 FAs. In 2019: Starters Lost: O-WR, 2OL. D- DE, 2LB, CB, SS. P, K. Key Losses: K- Matt Gay and P- Wishnowsky (both drafted in R5-high), LB- Cody Baron, SS-Marquise Blair. Utah is the major team USC has to beat, to win the south. QB is so-so and are a little less on D, which is still tough. USC played there last year and at home in 2019. The home team has won each of the last 6.
Sat, Sep 28 @ Washington. They were good, but less than expected in 2018, Won 4 games by a TD or less. They lost a lot from a senior laden team. 10-4/ 8-2 P12 O-26.4 ppg. D- 16.4. In 2019: Returning starters: 7 on O, 2 on D. Pros: 7 drafted plus 4 FAs. Starters Lost: O-QB, RB, TE, OL. D- 2DL, 3LB, 3CB, SS. Key Losses: QB Browning, RB Gaskin, CB- Bryon Murphy, FS-Taylor Rapp. Very unsure on D this year. USC played there 3 years ago and beat them. This likely is a lesser team than that one, but the stadium can play tough. This and the WSU game last year are about a par.
Sat, Oct 12 @ Notre Dame They were a final four in 2018, though the least of that group IMO. 12-1. O-31.4 ppg. D- 18.2. In 2019 Returning starters: 8 on O, 6 on D. Pros: 5 drafted plus 4 FAs. Lost: O- RB, WR, OC. D- 2DL, 2LB, CB, P and K. Key Losses: RB Williams, DT-Jerry Tillery, CB- Julian Love, LBs Tranquill and Coney. Also had backup QB Wimbush transfer. They still have QB Book, who needs to stay healthy. USC played well here last year But ND is a tougher place for USC.
Sat, Oct 19 vs. Arizona The team was a disappointment in 2018, 5-7/ 4-5 P12. O-31.3 ppg. D- 32.6. In 2019 Returning starters: 8 on O, 6 on D. Pros: 2 FAs. Starters Lost: O-WR, 2 OL. D- 3DL, CB, S, K, P. Key Losses: WR S. Poindexter, DL PJ Johnson, S D. Flannigan-Fowles. They still have QB Tate but USC won the last 4 at LA. This game should be easier IMO.
Fri, Oct 25 @Colorado After a surprise division win in 2016 this team has dropped back by 2018. 5-7/ 2-7 P12. O-27.1 ppg. D- 27.3 ppg. IN 2019: Returning starters: 6 on O, 5 on D. Pros: 5 FAs. Starters Lost: O-RB, TE, WR, 2 OL. D- 2DL, 2LB, 2S. Key Losses: RB Travon McMillan, LB- Drew Lewis, S-Evan Worthington. Brand new Coach in 1st HC job but needs to upgrade talent level.
Sat, Nov 2 vs. Oregon They were good, not great in 2018 after 2 rebuilding years (4-8, 7-6) at 9-4/ 5-4. O-34.8 ppg. D- 25.4 ppg. In 2019-Returning starters: 8 on O, 6 on D. Pros: 4 drafted plus 1 FA. Starters Lost: O-RB, WR, TE. D- 2DL, 2LB, S. Key Losses: WR M. Dillon, OLBs- Jalen Jelks and J Hollins, DB-A. Ugochukwu. Bottom line , a tough opponent on O, questionable on D. Much tougher even at USC home than Oregon State
Sat, Nov 9 @ Arizona State This team was a slight surprise in 2018, 7-6/ 5-4 P12. O-29.9 ppg. D- 25.5. Returning starters: 7 on O, 6 on D. Pros: 2 Drafted plus 3 FAs. Starters Lost: O-QB, WR, 2 OL. D- 3DL, LB, 2S, P. Key Losses: QB Manny Wilkins, WR N'Keal Harry, DT R Wren. ASU will drop a bit, change of QB.
Sat, Nov 16 @ California The team started well but fell off, though beating USC 15-14. In 2018 7-6/ 4-5 P12. O-21.5 ppg. D- 20.4. Returning starters: 4 on O, 6 on D. Pros: 3 FAs. Starters Lost: O-3WR, RB, TE, 2 OL, D- 2DL, 2LB, S. Key Losses: RB Patrick Laird, WR K Noa, LB J Kunaszyk. Cal may be worse on offense but has a good D, despite personnel losses. Until last year USC had won 14 in a row and likely will win this one.
Sat, Nov 23 vs.UCLA The team beat USC but was below average in 2018 at 3-9/ 3-6. O-24.6 ppg. D- 34.1 ppg. In 2019 Returning starters: 7 on O, 7 on D. Pros: 1 drafted plus 3 FA. Starters Lost: O- WR, TE, 2OL. D- DL, 2LB, S. Key Losses: TE Caleb Wilson, OT Andre James, LBs- Jaelen Phillips, backup QB Wilson Speights. They play this one at home and USC has won 3 of last 4 there. Easier matchup this year against their D.
Sat, Aug 31 vs. Fresno State. They were very good in 2018: 12-2/ 7-1 MW conf. O-34.6ppg, D-14.1ppg . In 2019: Returning starters: 3 on O, 5 on D. Pros: 1 drafted plus 2 FAs. Lost: Offense -QB, RB, 3WR, 2OL. Defense -2DL, 2LB, CB, S. Key Losses: Passing game (QB+ 3 WR), 4 of back 7 D starters, -Better than UNLV of 2018, not as good as the FSU of 2018.
Sat, Sep 7 vs. Stanford . The team was a good, but not great team in 2018: 9-4/ 6-3 P12. O-28.4 ppg, D-22.9 ppg. In 2019: Returning starters: 3 on O, 5 on D. Pros: 5 drafted plus 4 FAs. Starters Lost: O-RB, FB, 2 WR, 4OL. D- DE, 3LB, CB, SS. P. Key Losses: RB- Bryce Love, WR- Arcega-Whiteside, LBs- Okereke and Barton. Solid, but not as good as Stanford of 2018 and USC has them at home.
Sat, Sep 14 @ BYU . They were an average team in 2018 7-6. O-27.2 ppg, D-21.4 ppg . In 2019: Returning starters: 6 on O, 6 on D. Pros: 5 drafted plus 2 FAs. Starters Lost: O- RB, 2WR, 2OL. D- DE, 3LB, CB, P. Key Losses: LB- Takitaki, TE- Bushman, DB- Ghanwoloku. A competitive team with a decent QB (Zach Wilson) in USCs first road game, but hardly the same toughness as playing Texas in Austin in 2018.
Fri, Sep 20 vs. Utah They were good in 2018 9-5/ 6-4 P12. O-28.1 ppg. D- 19.4. In 2019: Returning starters: 8 on O, 6 on D. Pros: 5 drafted plus 2 FAs. In 2019: Starters Lost: O-WR, 2OL. D- DE, 2LB, CB, SS. P, K. Key Losses: K- Matt Gay and P- Wishnowsky (both drafted in R5-high), LB- Cody Baron, SS-Marquise Blair. Utah is the major team USC has to beat, to win the south. QB is so-so and are a little less on D, which is still tough. USC played there last year and at home in 2019. The home team has won each of the last 6.
Sat, Sep 28 @ Washington. They were good, but less than expected in 2018, Won 4 games by a TD or less. They lost a lot from a senior laden team. 10-4/ 8-2 P12 O-26.4 ppg. D- 16.4. In 2019: Returning starters: 7 on O, 2 on D. Pros: 7 drafted plus 4 FAs. Starters Lost: O-QB, RB, TE, OL. D- 2DL, 3LB, 3CB, SS. Key Losses: QB Browning, RB Gaskin, CB- Bryon Murphy, FS-Taylor Rapp. Very unsure on D this year. USC played there 3 years ago and beat them. This likely is a lesser team than that one, but the stadium can play tough. This and the WSU game last year are about a par.
Sat, Oct 12 @ Notre Dame They were a final four in 2018, though the least of that group IMO. 12-1. O-31.4 ppg. D- 18.2. In 2019 Returning starters: 8 on O, 6 on D. Pros: 5 drafted plus 4 FAs. Lost: O- RB, WR, OC. D- 2DL, 2LB, CB, P and K. Key Losses: RB Williams, DT-Jerry Tillery, CB- Julian Love, LBs Tranquill and Coney. Also had backup QB Wimbush transfer. They still have QB Book, who needs to stay healthy. USC played well here last year But ND is a tougher place for USC.
Sat, Oct 19 vs. Arizona The team was a disappointment in 2018, 5-7/ 4-5 P12. O-31.3 ppg. D- 32.6. In 2019 Returning starters: 8 on O, 6 on D. Pros: 2 FAs. Starters Lost: O-WR, 2 OL. D- 3DL, CB, S, K, P. Key Losses: WR S. Poindexter, DL PJ Johnson, S D. Flannigan-Fowles. They still have QB Tate but USC won the last 4 at LA. This game should be easier IMO.
Fri, Oct 25 @Colorado After a surprise division win in 2016 this team has dropped back by 2018. 5-7/ 2-7 P12. O-27.1 ppg. D- 27.3 ppg. IN 2019: Returning starters: 6 on O, 5 on D. Pros: 5 FAs. Starters Lost: O-RB, TE, WR, 2 OL. D- 2DL, 2LB, 2S. Key Losses: RB Travon McMillan, LB- Drew Lewis, S-Evan Worthington. Brand new Coach in 1st HC job but needs to upgrade talent level.
Sat, Nov 2 vs. Oregon They were good, not great in 2018 after 2 rebuilding years (4-8, 7-6) at 9-4/ 5-4. O-34.8 ppg. D- 25.4 ppg. In 2019-Returning starters: 8 on O, 6 on D. Pros: 4 drafted plus 1 FA. Starters Lost: O-RB, WR, TE. D- 2DL, 2LB, S. Key Losses: WR M. Dillon, OLBs- Jalen Jelks and J Hollins, DB-A. Ugochukwu. Bottom line , a tough opponent on O, questionable on D. Much tougher even at USC home than Oregon State
Sat, Nov 9 @ Arizona State This team was a slight surprise in 2018, 7-6/ 5-4 P12. O-29.9 ppg. D- 25.5. Returning starters: 7 on O, 6 on D. Pros: 2 Drafted plus 3 FAs. Starters Lost: O-QB, WR, 2 OL. D- 3DL, LB, 2S, P. Key Losses: QB Manny Wilkins, WR N'Keal Harry, DT R Wren. ASU will drop a bit, change of QB.
Sat, Nov 16 @ California The team started well but fell off, though beating USC 15-14. In 2018 7-6/ 4-5 P12. O-21.5 ppg. D- 20.4. Returning starters: 4 on O, 6 on D. Pros: 3 FAs. Starters Lost: O-3WR, RB, TE, 2 OL, D- 2DL, 2LB, S. Key Losses: RB Patrick Laird, WR K Noa, LB J Kunaszyk. Cal may be worse on offense but has a good D, despite personnel losses. Until last year USC had won 14 in a row and likely will win this one.
Sat, Nov 23 vs.UCLA The team beat USC but was below average in 2018 at 3-9/ 3-6. O-24.6 ppg. D- 34.1 ppg. In 2019 Returning starters: 7 on O, 7 on D. Pros: 1 drafted plus 3 FA. Starters Lost: O- WR, TE, 2OL. D- DL, 2LB, S. Key Losses: TE Caleb Wilson, OT Andre James, LBs- Jaelen Phillips, backup QB Wilson Speights. They play this one at home and USC has won 3 of last 4 there. Easier matchup this year against their D.
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