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Breaking Down the USC Trojans Win Total
2020 College Football Season
USC Trojans: 8 Wins -- Title Odds: 40/1 Click to Get Latest Betting Odds
The USC Trojans are positioned well for another successful college football season in 2020.
USC put up a fairly solid football campaign in 2019, but the season ended in disappointment. The Trojans went 8-5 overall and 7-2 in Pac-12 play, earning a trip to the Holiday Bowl where they lost to Iowa 49-24. USC is projected to be competitive once again in 2020; the team’s lofty goals will be winning the division, winning the conference and bringing home a bowl game win. Check back all season long for free college football picks and college football predictions at Sports Chat Place.
Let’s take a closer look at USC’s current status and break down their chances at hitting nine wins this season.
USC had the misfortune of being stuck in a division with a great Utah team last year, and the Trojans simply couldn’t close that gap. It was a solid campaign for USC all the same however, as they lost to just one unranked team (BYU 30-27 in OT) and for the most part made it through a demanding schedule pretty well. The Trojans won five of their final six regular-season games but really couldn’t get anything going versus Iowa in the bowl.
In any case, Clay Helton is back as head coach in his fifth season, joined by OC Graham Harrell (second year) and new DC Todd Orlando in something of a program overhaul. The Trojans return 38 starters in 2020, but do lose potent weapons like OT Austin Jackson and WR Michael Pittman. USC also has a QB decision to make between JT Daniels (out much of last season with an ACL injury) and Kedon Slovis, who played admirably in his absence. Outside of that, the offense is looking quite good for the Trojans; they’ve got a lot of talent on that side of the ball.
The schedule really isn’t doing USC any favors this season, but they’re a good enough team to handle it. Things begin with a rough matchup versus Alabama but ease up a bit through September before tightening again in Pac-12 play. Conference teams like Utah, Cal, Arizona State, Oregon, Washington and UCLA loom large, as does a regular-season-ending matchup versus Notre Dame which could be key in deciding USC’s postseason fate.
Pick: I like the under better. Granted, USC is going to be a good team, and they’re going to put up some nice numbers on the scoreboard. That said, the team’s schedule is very stout; I doubt they’ll be on the level of the Alabamas and the Notre Dames of the NCAA, so there are a handful of very realistic losses here as well. USC should have no issues going to a bowl game, but nine wins is pushing it.
2020 USC Trojans Football Schedule
Day, Date Opponent
Saturday, September 5 Alabama
Saturday, September 12 New Mexico
Saturday, September 19 at Stanford
Saturday, September 26 Arizona State
Friday, October 2 at Utah
Saturday, October 10 California
Saturday, October 17 at Arizona
Saturday, October 24 OPEN
Saturday, October 31 Colorado
Saturday, November 7 at Oregon
Saturday, November 14 Washington
Saturday, November 21 at UCLA
Saturday, November 28 Notre Dame
Friday, December 4 Pac-12 Championship
Andrew’s Pick Under 8 Wins
AUTHOR: Andrew Jett
