O/NSO: Can four 2023 Pac-12 stadiums prepare USC for the 2024 Big 10 stadiums edition

The Obvious: At the midway point of spring practice for the USC Trojans, the Men of Troy continue to build the fundamental foundation for the 2023 season. However, the one critical area that they can’t build upon or rehearse is the environment of the four Pac-12 conference away games at Arizona State, Colorado, Cal and Oregon, which could be circus-like with the host schools knowing this is the last conference dance against the departing Trojans. The Not So Obvious: Leaving out the out-of-conference pilgrimage to Notre Dame, which figures to be wild and crazy, in 2023, there’s a lot of conjecture just how miserable the fans in Tempe, Boulder, Berkley, and Eugene will make Lincoln Riley’s team feel in the Trojans’ farewell conference tour. Of the four away conference games, the only real away game that can combine all the elements of insanity, vulgarity, anxiety, and general intimidation is likely the unfriendly confines of Oregon’s Autzen Stadium (cover photo above). However, there is a bigger picture in these away game experiences, especially for those players that will return for the 2024 season when the cardinal and gold enter the world and stadiums of the Big Ten Conference.