USC, like Ohio State, was considered to be among the favorites to make the College Football Playoff going into the season.
The Trojans, like the Buckeyes, ultimately fell just short of achieving that goal, winning their conference championship but not before losing two games in the regular season (to Washington State and Notre Dame), which kept them out of the field of four.
So the Trojans and their fans, like the Buckeyes and their fans, have reason to be disappointed that they are playing in the Cotton Bowl instead of in the Rose Bowl or the Sugar Bowl. But the Trojans also have the opportunity to prove with a win that they are one of college football’s best teams, and like Ohio State, their roster includes NFL prospects who could be playing in their final game for making the jump to the next level.
Are the Trojans and their fans excited about the Cotton Bowl, what threats do USC stars Sam Darnold and Ronald Jones present on offense and is the Trojans’ defense a major problem? For answers to all of those questions and more, we caught up with Joey Kaufman, the USC beat writer for The Orange County Register and the rest of the Southern California News Group, in this week’s edition of Across the Field.
Q: Joey, what has the mood among USC fans been like entering this game? Are they more excited about the matchup or disappointed about what could have been?
Kaufman: I think most USC fans were resigned to their team missing the playoff by October, following the thumping by Notre Dame, and since moved on. While there was some chatter about the Trojans being in CFP contention late in November, it was taken pretty lightly by most, seen as more made-for-TV drama than any significant possibility. So, I think this matchup holds a lot of interest among people out west. Ohio State is going to provide a pretty good barometer for where the Trojans sit. With a win, they’re a top-five team for a second straight season. Lose, and a lot of the warts around USC will look more prominent over a long offseason.
Q: As for the Trojans' players and coaches, how excited do they seem to be about playing Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl?
Kaufman: Like the fans, I think most are eager for the test against Ohio State, a chance to see how they measure up against what has been one of the most successful programs this decade. Remember, few in the program are left over from when they last met in 2008 and 2009. And for some players, Urban Meyer’s run of dominance at Ohio State began when they were in middle school. This is a shot at a premier program. It would have been a different feeling against another Big Ten team, such as Penn State or Wisconsin, the last two teams they faced in bowl games, in the 2017 Rose Bowl and 2015 Holiday Bowl. One USC player, when told a bowl rematch with Penn State was possible sounded upset with the idea. "We already beat them," he said. Ohio State is a new face, at least.
Q: Clay Helton is 21-5 in his first two full seasons as USC's head coach. How would you evaluate his success leading the Trojans program so far?
Kaufman: No one has ever guided USC to consecutive 10-win seasons in his first two years on the job, and it’s a pretty good coaching fraternity, so it feels weird to knock Helton. The program is stable, recovered from NCAA probation, atop the Pac-12 Conference and recruiting well enough that any sustained drop-off appears unlikely. But assuming Friday is the end of the Sam Darnold era, it’s also impossible not to see these two seasons as wasted opportunities. With arguably the most talented quarterback in school history, the Trojans didn’t seriously challenge for a national championship, much less a playoff berth.
Q: Darnold was widely considered to be the frontrunner to both win the Heisman Trophy entering the season. He didn't quite perform up to those expectations, but how would you assess his play this season overall? And do you think this will be his final game as a Trojan before he moves on to the NFL?
Kaufman: His slow September stretch colored what has been a season on par with last fall. Eight of his 12 interceptions came in the first month. Since, he threw 17 touchdowns to four interceptions. Part of the slow start stemmed from a variety of factors – the offensive line underwent turnover and injuries, younger receivers hadn’t blossomed and Darnold himself admitted to forcing too many throws. He has looked like himself during the stretch run.
Is it his last game? Probably. It’s worth noting that those close to him say he has not made a decision about his future, and he’s less certain to enter the NFL draft than his counterpart across town, UCLA’s Josh Rosen. It’s rare for redshirt sophomore quarterbacks to declare (Brett Hundley, Andrew Luck and Marcus Mariota all returned for redshirt junior seasons). But it’s also rare for top first-round picks to return.
Q: Ronald Jones has been USC's leading rusher for three straight seasons, running for 1,486 yards and 18 touchdowns this season. Is he overlooked because of Darnold, and what do you think have been the keys to his consistent success?
Kaufman: If everyone asks, “Why is Ronald Jones overlooked?” is he still overlooked? I kid, because it’s been a common question by USC fans this fall, even as Jones has moved into the top five of the school’s career rushing list, passing a lineage of running backs that includes O.J. Simpson, Mike Garrett, Reggie Bush and LenDale White. He certainly takes a backseat to Darnold in terms of attention in a quarterback-driven conference, but he’s probably gotten more credit as he’s had his best season. The junior has been less predictable of a runner this fall, more comfortable running between the tackles rather than solely bouncing outside, where he can use his breakaway speed. He’s been more patient, too, waiting for his blocks. First-year running backs coach Deland McCullough should get credit for some of this. For an Ohio connection: McCullough is from Youngstown, played at Miami (Ohio) and for the Bengals, and was last at Indiana.
Q: Who are some under-the-radar or potentially overlooked Trojans that Ohio State and its fans should be aware of entering this game?
Kaufman: Keep an eye on Michael Pittman Jr. and Tyler Vaughns, two underclassman receivers who made significant strides over the final month or so of the regular season. Both were key in the Pac-12 title game, snagging touchdowns, and are bigger, sure-handed pass-catchers that pair well with Darnold. Their ascendance has helped ease the pressure off the quarterback’s No. 1 target, Deontay Burnett.
Tyler Vaughns has been a breakout player for USC at wide receiver this season. Mark J. Rebilas – USA TODAY Sports
Q: USC is ranked 77th nationally in total defense and 61st nationally in scoring defense. Are the Trojans better on that side of the ball than the numbers indicate, or is their defense a major concern going into this game?
Kaufman: They’re a little better, at least in some areas. It’s kind of a boom-or-bust unit, at times able to generate negative plays. They totaled 43 sacks (No. 2 in the nation) and forced 24 turnovers (No. 20 in the nation). Then they’ll give up big plays. Their defense has allowed 71 plays of 20-plus yards (No. 118 in the nation) – a big reason they’re so low in total defense. Their 38-24 win over Colorado late in the season was pretty illustrative of how things have gone this year. The Trojans had a shutout going midway through the third quarter, but ultimately gave up touchdown passes of 79 yards and 57 yards in what then became a tighter contest.
Q: What do you think will be the keys to this game, and how do you see it playing out?
Kaufman: I have a hard time sensing what will unfold in bowl games. There are more external factors. Who’s motivated? Who’s bummed about their postseason destination? Who’s already thinking about the NFL? What coaches have moved on? All those seem like important things to consider, especially when the teams look pretty equal on paper.
Two things make Ohio State look like the favorite. There’s J.T. Barrett. USC has had trouble with dual-threat quarterbacks (see: Khalil Tate and Brandon Wimbush). Also: the rest of the Buckeyes’ ground game looks as productive as Notre Dame, which presented the Trojans with a host problems. Of course, USC has Sam Darnold, who always seems to rise to the occasion in big games. But I’m hesitant to pick USC for another reason too: It has not beaten a ranked team outside of Stanford this season. Just a smaller track record. Ultimately, these teams are talented enough that it should be close, but the Buckeyes have more experience in bigger games.
