USC Football: Is 2021 the year the Trojans play up to their talent level?

How will USC football fare in 2021?

It is safe to say that USC does not have the most challenging schedule. The Trojans avoid Oregon and Washington in conference play and they get Utah and UCLA at home. They have some tough road tests at Notre Dame and Arizona State and those could be the pivot point in USC’s season.

• Game 1: San Jose State (W) — San Jose State was a surprise team last season on its way to the Mountain West title, but USC will be ready for the Spartans.
• Game 2: Stanford (W) — I think the Cardinal are on the downslide as a program and I think USC is a much better team.
• Game 3: at Washington State (W) — Washington State is going to have a tough offense, but its defense will be unable to stop USC.
• Game 4: Oregon State (W) — Oregon State is improving as a program, but it won’t be able to beat the Trojans in Los Angeles.
• Game 5: at Colorado (W) — Colorado was the surprise team in the conference last season, but it may have overachieved and will come back down to earth this season.
• Game 6: Utah (W) — Utah will be USC’s biggest competition in the Pac-12 South and this game will be tough, but I think the home-field advantage will be the key.
• Game 7: at Notre Dame (L) — USC and Notre Dame did not get to play last season, but one of the sport’s best rivalries will return in 2021. I think Notre Dame will extend its winning streak over the Trojans.
• Game 8: Arizona (W) — Arizona is starting over as a program and will be really poor this season.
• Game 9: at Arizona State (L) — USC was lucky to beat Arizona State last season and it will be a tough road trip for the Sun Devils.
• Game 10: at California (W) — Cal has played USC tougher under head coach Justin Wilcox, but its offense is still a work in progress and that will prevent it from beating USC again.
• Game 11: UCLA (W) — USC will close out Pac-12 play with a win over their biggest rival in the South division.
• Game 12: BYU (W) — BYU is going to take a step back from last season and USC will be looking to avenge its loss to the Cougars in 2019.

Prediction: 10-2, 8-1 Pac-12

I think this is a record that might frustrate most USC fans. USC fans either want to be a playoff contender at 11 or 12 wins or bad enough to fire Helton — 10-2 will feel like more of the same, but it is hard to trust USC to run the table, even against an easy schedule.