Danny Kanell Predicts Unexpected Big Ten Team to Make College Football Playoff

The Big Ten Conference saw four teams make the first-ever expanded College Football Playoff field a year ago. The Oregon Ducks, Penn State Nittany Lions, Indiana Hoosiers and Ohio State Buckeyes made the field with Ohio State winning the national title.

This year, Ohio State, Penn State and Oregon are all common picks in the early CFP predictions, and all three made the top 10 in the preseason Coaches Poll and the Associated Press preseason poll.

With Week 1 right around the corner, CBS Sports college football analyst Danny Kanell made his College Football Playoff predictions, and one surprising team made the cut.

Danny Kanell's Unexpected Big Ten Team

Kanell picked Oregon, Penn State and Ohio State to make the field again, but one unexpected prediction was the USC Trojans making the cut.

Here are Kanell's full predictions:

1. Penn State
2. Clemson
3. Alabama
4. Ohio State
5. Notre Dame
6. Oregon
7. Kansas State
8. Georgia
9. Louisville
10. Ole Miss
11. USC
12. Boise State

USC was nowhere to be found in the preseason Coaches Poll, although they were fifth in the "Others Receiving Votes" category.

The Trojans finished 7-6 a year ago and lost a lot of talent, including quarterback Miller Moss, running back Quinten Joyner, wide receiver Kyron Hudson and plenty of other pieces.

Steven Lassan of Athlon Sports predicted USC to finish seventh in the Big Ten behind Penn State, Ohio State, Oregon, Michigan, Indiana and Illinois, respectively.