Saturday Blitz
Fansided

25 biggest college football storylines for the 2022 season

By Michael Thompson

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - JANUARY 10: The National Championship Trophy is seen on the field prior to the 2022 CFP National Championship Game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Georgia Bulldogs at Lucas Oil Stadium on January 10, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - JANUARY 10: The National Championship Trophy is seen on the field prior to the 2022 CFP National Championship Game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Georgia Bulldogs at Lucas Oil Stadium on January 10, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
7 of 25
Next
LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 23: Quarterbacks Caleb Williams #13 talks with head coach Lincoln Riley during the 2022 USC Spring Football game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on April 23, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 23: Quarterbacks Caleb Williams #13 talks with head coach Lincoln Riley during the 2022 USC Spring Football game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on April 23, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /

7. The USC revival

Joining The U in being back are the Trojans of Southern Cal. It was one of the most shocking days in Oklahoma and Southern California history. On Nov. 29, the day after Oklahoma barely lost on the road to rival Oklahoma State for a chance to win the Big 12, and after USC lost at home to BYU to finish 4-7, Lincoln Riley jumped ship and left the plains of Norman for the beaches of Los Angeles. This decision rocked both universities as Riley not only left but took most of the future (including star quarterback Caleb Williams) along with him to USC.

USC will have a lot of moving pieces this year, including concerns about the defense and the offensive line. Those are fair concerns, but I expect the addition of Riley and the combo of Williams and Biletnikoff Award-winning transfer Jordan Addison will lead to an offensive explosion for the men of Troy.

I expect the Trojans to get through their growing pains early on, and lose at Utah in Week 7, before righting the ship for the rest of the season. This should put the Trojans in a season finale showdown with Notre Dame in Los Angeles and likely in the Pac-12 Championship Game against Utah once again. Could going 2-0 get the Trojans into the playoff?

Either way, Riley’s transition to USC may have not been the smoothest, but the addition of Caleb Williams makes this team the ultimate wildcard this season and I fully expect them to be in the hunt for a New Year’s Six bowl.

For the future, look for Riley and the Trojans to dominate the Pac-12 before their exit to the Big Ten. Of course, by then, Riley will be coaching the Dallas Cowboys.

Home/College Football News