5 college football teams likely to be next Georgia and end a national title drought

No. 2 USC (2004)

In college football, elite head coaches equal wins and championships. Why else would LSU and USC pony up for proven winners?

The Trojans are one of the few programs with the natural resources (outside of a stadium) to win a national title. Southern California is one of the most fertile recruiting grounds in all of the country and Riley was getting many of those recruits to come to Norman, Oklahoma.

Others were headed for the SEC. Bryce Young is a kid that should have been playing quarterback for USC, not Alabama.

When Pete Carroll was hired, he put a fence around Los Angeles and Southern California. With the hiring of Lincoln Riley, the Trojans decided no more half measures — it’s time to go all in.

Even with Clay Helton, the Trojans still had the talent of a national-title contender going into 2021 according to 247 sports’ blue-chip ratio. And in just his limited time as head coach, Riley has already landed five 5-star recruits in 2022 and 2023.

Riley was able to beat out Alabama for the commitment of highly-touted 2022 corner Domani Jackson, as well as Raleek Brown, a five-star running back plus Malachi Nelson — the No. 2 QB and overall prospect in the class of 2023.

USC also has an easier path to the playoff than almost any team on this list. Notre Dame has a very straightforward path too but it means navigating a very tough schedule.

The only true rival in the Pac-12 is Oregon and I would rather be the head coach of the Trojans than the Ducks. If USC is done right, it can be the Mecca of college football that Riley described.