USC football faces massive mystery at quarterback among 5 things to watch vs Indiana
One huge win down, two to go.That’s the only path remaining to the College Football Playoff for USC and coach Lincoln Riley after the Trojans dispatched then-No.2 Ohio State two weeks ago.Beating the Buckeyes left USC on the cusp of contention for the 12-team playoff even though the Trojans checked in at No.
20 in the initial CFP rankings and rose just two spots after a bye last week.What’s important is that the No.18 Trojans (7-2 overall, 4-2 Big Ten) have two massive opportunities remaining on their schedule, starting Saturday against No.
9 Indiana (8-1, 5–1) at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington.If USC can notch the best road win of Riley’s Trojans tenure and then dispatch Maryland at the Coliseum next weekend as expected, it would set up a gigantic rivalry showdown against No.4 UCLA two days after Thanksgiving.Just keep winning and the Trojans will hurdle teams like tight end Mark Bowman jumping over Ohio State’s Jaylen McClain at the Coliseum.“It’s where you want to be, right here in November and kind of that stretch run with everything sitting in front of you,” Riley said.
“We’ve worked hard, it hasn’t been perfect but there’s been a lot more good than bad, and that’s why we’re one of the few teams that sits here right now controlling our destiny in so many ways.”Here are five things to watch when the Trojans face the Hoosiers in a game kicking off at 12:30 p.m.PST on CBS:USC could face another backup quarterback Saturday.The Trojans have had mixed results in those scenarios, losing to Oregon after Dylan Raiola replaced Dante Moore and beating Ohio State after Luke Fahey started the game in place of injured Julian Sayin.Indiana coach Curt Cignetti wouldn’t say whether he’d go with struggling starter Josh Hoover or backup Grant Wilson, who entered in the second half against Minnesota two weeks ago after Hoover took a big hit and rallied the Hoosiers to a 23-16 overtime victory.Hoover isn’t listed on the Big Ten availability ...