USC Trojans' Record Prediction: Can USC Beat Nebraska, Notre Dame?

The Trojans head to Washington for the first time in the USC coach Lincoln Riley's tenure. USC played the Huskies last season, and they nearly pulled off the upset, falling 52-42 to the eventual national title runner-ups. Washington doesn't look like the same program as last year as the Huskies have a new coaching staff. Washington also sits with a 4-4, however USC looked like a different team last week in their 42-20 win over Rutgers. They looked more established on offense and seem to have found more confidence on the defensive side of the ball after enduring through a three game losing streak

Prediction: USC defeats Washington in Seattle for the first time since 2016.

2. Week 12: vs. Nebraska

It will be the Nebraska Cornhuskers' first trip to Los Angeles since 2006. Nebraska is led by freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola and the Huskers sit with a 5-3 record with losses to three ranked teams in Ohio State, Indiana, and Illinois. USC tends to play better at home and have beaten a similar Big Ten opponent in Wisconsin at the Coliseum earlier in the season. If USC picks up the big win on the road vs. Washington, the momentum should swing in favor of the Trojans.

Prediction: USC moves to 6-4 with win and head into a huge matchup at home

3. Week 13: at UCLA

USC's final stretch consists of two games vs. their biggest rivals in the UCLA Bruins and Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The Bruins have had recent success vs. the Trojans. In fact, UCLA has beaten USC in the last two of three games played despite the Trojans having Heisman winning quarterback Caleb Williams on the team for the past two seasons. It's a meaningful game for USC as the Bruins currently own the Victory Bell, but the difference from the Trojans in past years to this year is their defense. The new defensive coaching staff for the Trojans has been stellar, relatively speaking. UCLA doesn't posses anything on offense that the Trojans haven't seen.

Prediction: USC takes back the Victory Bell in a decisive win over the Bruins.

4. Week 14: vs. Notre Dame

If all goes to plan for the Trojans, the Men of Troy should be rolling into senior night 7-4 with a big rivalry game vs. the Fighting Irish. This will undoubtedly be the toughest game remaining on the schedule for USC, but it may be to tall of a task to ask the Trojans to knock off Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish's quarterback Riley Leonard and the Notre Dame offense have found their stride since an early season loss to Northern Illinois.

Prediction: Notre Dame defeats the Trojans to move to 11-1 and earn a berth into the CFP.