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Where the USC Trojans land in this week's bowl projections

Erik-McKinneyby: Erik McKinney10/30/24ErikTMcKinney
The USC Trojans, led by quarterback Miller Moss, walk out of the Coliseum tunnel before a game against the Penn State Nittany Lions
The USC Trojans, led by quarterback Miller Moss, walk out of the Coliseum tunnel before a game against the Penn State Nittany Lions (acscottphotography/WeAreSC)

The USC Trojans are eight games into the 2024 season and still not a lock to earn a spot in a bowl game. Lincoln Riley’s team still needs to find at least two wins against a closing slate of Washington, Nebraska, UCLA and Notre Dame in order to lock in that extra game and those extra practices that are so vital to program building.

Here, we take a look around the bowl projection landscape to see where several outlets have the Trojans pegged at this point. USC is looking way, way up at the College Football Playoff after four losses already this season. But there are potentially interesting matchups the Trojans could earn still.

Sports Illustrated

Alamo Bowl – Dec. 28 in San Antonio against Kansas State

USC has never appeared in the Alamo Bowl and is 0-2 all-time against Kansas State, losing in Los Angeles in 2001 and Manhattan in 2002.

CBS Sports

LA Bowl – Dec. 18 in Los Angeles against UNLV

USC has never appeared in the Los Angeles Bowl. This will be only its fourth year in existence. The Trojans are 2-0 all-time against the Rebels, picking up wins in 1997 and 2018.

Action Network

Sun Bowl – Dec. 31 in El Paso against Virginia Tech

USC is 0-3 all-time at the Sun Bowl, including a 21-7 loss to Georgia Tech to cap off a disastrous 2012 season. USC is 1-0 all-time against Virginia Tech, beating the Hokies in a neutral site game to open the Trojans’ 2004 national championship season.

ESPN

Sun Bowl – Dec. 31 in El Paso against Duke (Mark Schlabach)
LA Bowl – Dec. 18 in Los Angeles against UNLV (Kyle Bonagura)

The Trojans are 3-0 all-time against the Blue Devils, meeting once in the Rose Bowl and twice more in Los Angeles. The most recent meeting was a 35-7 win by USC all the way back in 1975.

USA Today

No Bowl Game

The USA Today projection is the notable one because not making a bowl game means the Trojans will have lost three of their final four games. No matter what happens this weekend against Washington, USC will likely be favored in a home game against Nebraska two weeks later and also in a road game across town against UCLA.

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Garry Paskwietz (1966-2019)

Garry Paskwietz was a pioneer in bringing team-specific sports coverage to the internet. He founded WeAreSC in 1998 and was an Emmy winner for his work with Fox Sports West. Always generous with his time, knowledge, and compassion, he touched the lives of countless USC and high school football fans.

Garry Paskwietz