USC suffered their first loss of the season on Friday night to Washington State but it’s far too premature to cut the Trojans from the College Football Playoff conversation.
USC had lived on borrowed time the first month of the season, avoiding potential losses thanks to clutch play from quarterback Sam Darnold. That time came up on Friday night with the Trojans falling for the first time this year in Friday night’s loss to Washington State. It wasn’t pretty for USC who lost key starters to injury and Darnold had the worst game of his short career, but it’s far too early to write off the Trojans from the College Football Playoff conversation.
If the season ended tomorrow, USC wouldn’t be in the Playoff. The good thing is there are seven more games on their schedule to rebound from the loss and rehab their playoff resume.
If you thought there was going to be four undefeated teams from Power Five conferences this year, you are sorely mistaken, because the chances are high that there may only be one undefeated team come the end of the regular season. That means USC is still alive, although they have to be perfect the rest of the way.
USC does control their destiny so they can win out and get to the Pac-12 Championship Game where a rematch may await with Washington State or it could be with an undefeated Washington team. A one-loss Pac-12 champion should have a strong resume to be in the four-team playoff.
The Trojans will need some help though.
The Big Ten, SEC and ACC champion are likely to be locks, provided it’s a one-loss Ohio State, Michigan or Ohio State from the Big Ten, and a one-loss Alabama and Clemson from the SEC and ACC, respectively.
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Those programs all carry the name brand recognition that should benefit them in the great playoff debate. What USC needs to root for is the top of the Big 12 to suffer some losses. USC fans should be rooting against Oklahoma and TCU so they get a loss before the Big 12 Championship Game. But there could be a chance that even a Big 12 team suffering their first loss in that game could be enough to knock the Big 12 out and open the door for USC.
There is plenty of season left to play and counting out a one-loss team from a Power Five conference with the star power that USC has on its roster is far too premature and awfully risky.