College football world waits to see if Lincoln Riley, USC can overpower Michigan

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Note the word “overpower” in the title of this story. It’s not “beat” or “outscore,” but something specific. USC outscoring Michigan 42-35 wouldn’t change the national college football narrative that USC is soft. If the Trojans can physically overwhelm Michigan, however, you’re going to stop seeing the “USC is soft” theme on television, radio, and in the newspapers. USA TODAY Sports has more on this:

It’s early, and USC hasn’t played a conference game, but there might be a significant turn being taken on the defensive side of the ball. The program that wandered arm in arm with mediocrity for the better part of 15 years since former coach Pete Carroll left for the NFL in 2009, gets a prove-it moment on the road against desperate defending national champion Michigan.

In a college football world of ever-changing, weekly perceptions, nothing truly sticks until an absolute defining moment. This is where USC’s new defense – with six new starters from the transfer portal, and five more transfer portal starters from 2023 – continues its metamorphosis from sieve to strength.

For a lot of analysts, the Michigan game will prove if USC’s solid start on defense is for real. For a lot of college football commentators, the Michigan game will either affirm or disprove the idea that USC is now tough again, the way it was under Pete Carroll. All that’s left is to go out and prove it.

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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: College football world waits to see if Lincoln Riley, USC can overpower Michigan

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/college-football-world-waits-see-015905510.html

Author : Trojans Wire

Publish date : 2024-09-20 01:59:05

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