USC Football: 3 takeaways from blowout loss to Iowa in Holiday Bowl

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 27: Chauncey Golston #57 of the Iowa Hawkeyes chases Kedon Slovis #9 of the USC Trojans during the first half of the San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl at SDCCU Stadium on December 27, 2019 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

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MADISON, WISCONSIN – NOVEMBER 09: Head coach Kirk Ferentz of the Iowa Hawkeyes looks on in the second half against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium on November 09, 2019 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) /

1. Outlook different for both teams in 2020

Iowa is gonna lose some heavy hitters from this season that they will need to replace quickly. Nate Stanley started his final game as a Hawkeye as did starting left guard Landan Paulsen. They are slated to lose four defensive starters in addition to most likely losing AJ Epenesa to the NFL draft.

Iowa has been a stout program led by Kirk Ferentz, but losing all these starters at key positions and looking up at Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State is definitely an uphill battle.

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USC now looks at a Pac-12 that may now be wide open. Oregon will lose Justin Herbert and Utah will lose Tyler Huntley. Those are big losses while USC will keep their stud QB for the foreseeable future. The biggest question mark is the defense, which allowed 30-plus points five times in the 2019 season. They will need to improve on that side of the ball immediately if they want to show out and compete in 2020.

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