By StephanieLee Elliott
GAME NOTES
THE BEACH VERSUS THE BAYOU
*USC begins the 2024 season with an electric start as the Trojans challenge the LSU Tigers in the Vegas Kickoff Classic on Sunday, Sept. 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
*The game, featuring two powerhouse programs, will be shown live nationally on ABC.
*USC is ranked No. 23 in the AP Poll, while LSU holds the No. 13 ranking.
HEISMAN LEGACIES
*USC QB Miller Moss and LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier are both stepping into roles held by the last two Heisman Trophy winners (LSU’s Jayden Daniels, 2023 Heisman Trophy winner and USC’s Caleb Williams, 2022 Heisman Trophy winner).
LSU SCOUTING REPORT
*Head coach Brian Kelly enters his third season at LSU with a 20-7 record.
*Last season, the Tigers went 10-3 (6-2 in SEC play) and defeated Wisconsin 35-31 in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
*LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker is in his first season in the role after coming from Missouri. It’s Baker second stint with the Tigers as he previously served as LSU’s linebackers coach in 2021.
*Baker’s 2023 Missouri defense played an important role in the Tigers going 11-2 overall and capping the season with a 14-3 win over No. 7 Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.
*QB Garrett Nussmeier was 48-of-78 for 591 yards (18.6 avg.) with 4 TDs and 1 INT while backing up 2023 Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels.
*WR Kyren Lacy (30 rec. for 558 yards and 7 TDs in 2023) looks to be the top receiver.
*Liberty transfer WR CJ Daniels looks to also make an impact. At Liberty, Daniels caught 55 passes for 1,067 yards (19.4 avg.) and 10 TDs.
*TE Mason Taylor (36 receptions for 348 yards and 1 TD in 2023). When Nussmeier was QB in the ReliaQuest bowl, he caught 7 passes for 88 yards.
*RB Josh Williams (55 carries for 284 yards [5.2 avg.) and 5 TDs in 2023) and RB Kaleb Jackson (31 carries for 165 yards [5.3 avg.] and 4 TDs) look to split time out of the backfield.
*The Tiger offensive line, a finalist for the 2023 Joe Moore Award, will most likely be comprised of LT Will Campbell, LG Garrett Dellinger, C DJ Chester (the lone new starter on the O-Line), RG Miles Frazier and RT Emery Jones Jr.
*The defensive line should feature DE Sai’vion Jones (33 tackles in 2023), DT Jacobian Guillory (27 tackles in 2023), DT Gio Paez (22 tackles at Wisconsin in 2023), DE Bradyn Swinson (25 tackles in 2023). While they’re all seniors, they lack game experience with 21 career starts total.
*LBs Greg Penn III (89 tackles in 2023) and Harold Perkins Jr. (75 tackles in 2023, leading the team with 13 TFLs for minus 54 yards) look to be the starters.
*CBs Sage Ryan (42 tackles in 2023) and Ashton Stamps (23 tackles in 2023) both reportedly had a strong fall camp. Ryan switched positions from safety to corner this preseason.
*S Major Burns (LSU’s 2023 tackling leader with 93) will be LSU’s top safety.
*K Damian Ramos went 12-of-15 (80.0%) in FGs in 2023 with a long of 47. He was perfect in PATs.
RANKINGS
*USC is ranked No. 23 in the latest AP Poll and in the USA Today Coaches Poll.
*LSU is ranked No. 13 in the AP Poll and 12th in the USA Today Coaches Poll.
SERIES
*USC is 1-1 all-time against LSU, with one game each home and away.
*The most recent encounter with the Tigers occurred in the fall of 1984, where the Trojans lost 3-23 in the Coliseum.
VERSUS THE SEC
*USC is 31-15-2 (.667) all-time against SEC schools (does not include 2 wins and 1 loss vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 33-16-2, .667).
*The last time USC played a team from the SEC was the 2016 season opener when the Trojans lost 6-52 to Alabama in AT&T Stadium.
IN SEPTEMBER
*USC has a 196-55-8 (.772) all-time record while playing in the month of September (does not include 3 wins vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 199-55-8, .775).
OPENERS
*USC’s record in all season openers is 98-24-8 (.785), with 36 shutout victories. In season openers at home, the Trojans are 70-16-7 (.790), while their record in season openers on the road is 28-8-1 (.770). (Does not include 1 win vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 99-24-8, .786 overall and 29-8-1 on the road, .776.)
*In road openers, USC is 86-31-8 (.720). (Does not include 1 home and 1 road win vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 87-31-8, .722 on the road.)
SUNDAY
*USC has played only 5 games on a Sunday, going 3-2: 1993 opener versus North Carolina in the Disneyland Pigskin Classic (USC lost, 31-9), 1996 opener against Penn State in the Kickoff Classic (USC lost, 24-7), 1998 opener versus Purdue in the Pigskin Classic (USC won, 27-17), 2000 opener versus Penn State in the Kickoff Classic (USC won 29-5) and in 2020 versus Washington State at home (USC won 38-13).
NFL STADIUMS
*Since 2014, USC has played 7 games in a current NFL stadium besides the Los Angeles Coliseum (temporary home of the Los Angeles Rams). It beat Nebraska, 45-42, in the 2014 Holiday Bowl in Qualcomm Stadium, lost to Stanford, 41-22, in the 2015 Pac-12 Championship Game in Levi’s Stadium and to Wisconsin, 23-21, in the 2015 Holiday Bowl in Qualcomm Stadium, lost to Alabama, 52-6, in AT&T Stadium in the 2016 season opener, beat Stanford, 31-28, in the 2017 Pac-12 Championship Game in Levi’s Stadium and lost to Ohio State, 24-7, in the 2017 Cotton Bowl in AT&T Stadium and lost to Utah, 24-47 in the 2022 Pac-12 Championship Game in Allegiant Stadium. DOMES
*USC is 3-4 in domed (or closed roof) stadiums, beating Washington State in the Kingdome in 1976, Texas A&M in the 1977 Bluebonnet Bowl in the Astrodome and Houston in the Astrodome in 1996, but losing in AT&T Stadium to Alabama in 2016, Ohio State in the 2017 Cotton Bowl and Tulane in the 2023 Cotton Bowl and in Allegiant Stadium to Utah in the 2022 Pac-12 Championship.
OLYMPIC RECORD
*USC is 203-70-10 (.734) in seasons that the Summer Olympics have been held. The Trojans won 4 national titles (1928, 1932, 1972, 2004) and played in 11 bowls (winning 8) during those Olympic seasons. (Does not include 2 wins–including 1 bowl appearance and 1 bowl win–vacated by NCAA penalty; original record: 205-70-10, .737.)
PRESIDENTIAL RECORD
*USC is 221-70-14 (.748) during presidential election years. The Trojans are 127-29-5 (.804) in years when Republicans won the White House and 94-41-9 (.684) when Democrats won. (Does not include 1 win vacated due to NCAA penalty; revised record: 222-70-14, .748 overall and 128-29-5, .806 with Republicans.) USC has won 4 national championships (1928-32-72-2004) during presidential election years.
TURNAROUNDS
*In USC’s 135 seasons, the Trojans have lost 4 or more games 45 times. Following 9 of those 4-plus loss seasons, USC “turned it around” to win the Rose Bowl the next year (1938-43-62-67-72-76-78-84-16).
ARTIFICIAL TURF
*USC is 50-36-1 in its last 87 games on artificial turf (not including 3 wins vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 53-36-1).
HOME JERSEYS
*USC will wear its traditional cardinal home jerseys while LSU will wear their traditional white home jerseys. USC wore its home cardinal jerseys for the 2000 Kickoff Classic against Penn State (even though Troy was the visiting team) and for its 1999 game at Hawaii (at the request of UH).
USC-LSU CONNECTIONS
*LSU has 2 Californians on its roster: DT Gio Perez (Los Angeles, Calif.) and SNP Jonathan Ferguson (Sacramento, Calif.).
*LSU WR Zavion Thomas previously played at Mississippi State with Trojans RB Woody Marks and CB DeCarlos Nicholson.
*LSU CB JK Johnson previously played at Ohio State with Trojan S Bryson Shaw.
*LSU QB AJ Swann previously played at Vanderbilt with Trojan DT Nate Clifton.
*LSU S Austin Ausberry previously played at Auburn with Trojan WR Jay Fair.
*USC CB Greedy Vance Jr. and LSU CB Michael Turner Jr. are both from Kenner, La.
*USC RB Woody Marks and LSU DE CJ Jackson are both from Atlanta, Ga.
*USC OL Makai Saina and LSU CB Javien Toviano both played at Martin HS in Arlington, Texas
*USC P Eddie Czaplicki and LSU SNP Slade Roy are both from Charlotte, N.C.
*USC TE Lake McRee and LSU SNP Jake Davis are both from Austin, Texas.
*USC CB Prophet Brown, USC OL Alani Noa and LSU SNP Jonathan Ferguson are all from Sacramento, Calif.
*USC Offensive Line Coach / Offensive Coordinator Josh Henson was LSU’s tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator for 4 seasons (2005-08), including with the Tigers’ 2007 national championship squad. He helped assemble Top 10 recruiting classes in 2006 and 2007 when he was named one of college football’s Top 25 recruiters by Rivals.com. LSU played in the 2005 Peach Bowl, 2007 Sugar Bowl, 2008 BCS National Championship Game and 2008 Chick-Fil-A Bowl.
*USC’s Associate Director of Operations and Student Services for Football Cheryl Taplin boasts an impressive athletic career, having been a 16-time All-American sprinter at Louisiana State University (LSU) and inducted into the LSU Hall of Fame in 2006.
*USC Senior Associate Athletic Director (Strategic Communication and Brand Advancement) Cody Worsham previously held a similar role at LSU.
2024 SCHEDULE
*A new era begins for the Trojans as USC enters the Big Ten Conference — new opponents, new stadiums and a Rose Bowl worthy matchup every weekend.
*The Trojans will play six home games in 2024. Troy will welcome league opponents Wisconsin, Penn State, Rutgers and Nebraska to the Coliseum as well as non-conference foes Utah State and Notre Dame. USC will visit Michigan, Minnesota, Maryland, Washington and UCLA on the road. The Trojans will open the 2024 season with a neutral site game against LSU at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
*USC will have byes on Sept 14 and Nov. 9.
*Coming out with a bang, the Trojans face traditional powerhouse LSU in the Vegas Kickoff Classic on Sept 1. It will be just the third meeting between LSU and USC in football. USC won the first meeting between the teams in what is considered one of the greatest games ever played in Tiger Stadium by a 17-12 count in 1979. LSU won the rematch in Los Angeles at the Coliseum in 1984 by a 23-3 margin.
*USC returns to Los Angeles for its home opener against Utah State on Sept. 7. The Trojans’ inaugural Big Ten matchup will be in the Big House – a stage worthy of such a debut. USC travels to Michigan (with new head coach Sherrone Moore) on Sept. 21 for this iconic game to kick off a new era of Trojan football. The Trojans are 6-4 against the Wolverines, last facing them in a 32-18 victory in the 2007 Rose Bowl. The Trojans then return home to the Coliseum to host Wisconsin on Sept. 28. USC holds a 6-1 record against the Badgers, last falling to them 21-23 in the 2015 Holiday Bowl.
*Another road game awaits the following week as USC visits Minnesota on Oct. 5. The Trojans are 6-1-1 against the Gophers, last playing them in 2011, where they earned a 19-17 victory in the Coliseum. Back at home on Oct. 12, USC challenges a familiar opponent, the Penn State Nittany Lions. USC is 6-4 versus Penn State, last defeating them 52-49 in 2017 in arguably one of the most iconic Rose Bowl games of all-time. The Trojans then travel back east for a first-time match up versus Maryland on Oct. 19. Wrapping up October, USC welcomes Rutgers, another new opponent, to the Coliseum on Oct. 25.
*USC travels to Washington (with new head coach Jedd Fisch) on Nov. 2 for a familiar match up. USC currently holds a 51-31-4 series record over Washington, not including Troy’s 2005 victory which was vacated due to NCAA penalty (original record: 52-30-4). On Nov. 16, the Trojans host Nebraska in the Coliseum. USC is 4-0-1 versus the Cornhuskers, last facing them in 2014, in a 45-42 victory in the Holiday Bowl. Finally, USC travels to the Rose Bowl to challenge crosstown rival UCLA (with new head coach DeShaun Foster) to wrap up Big Ten Conference play on Nov. 23. USC leads its series with UCLA 50-34-7, not including Troy’s 2004 and 2005 victories that were vacated due to NCAA penalty (original record: 52-34-7). USC returns back to the Coliseum for its final home game of the 2024 season against Notre Dame. The greatest intersectional rivalry in college football will be played on Nov. 30.
*The 2024 season will conclude with the annual Big Ten Football Championship Game on Dec. 7 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, which will feature the top two teams in the overall conference standings at the end of the regular season, with the winner earning the Big Ten Championship.
LAST YEAR
*The 2023 Trojans went 8-5 and 5-4 in Pac-12 play. Riley’s high-powered brand of offense, led by defending Heisman Trophy winner QB Caleb Williams, put up points all season resulting in USC ranking No. 3 in the nation in scoring offense (41.8), No. 3 in team passing efficiency (170.88), No. 5 in passing offense (333.0) and No. 10 in total offense (467.6). Williams ranked in the national Top 20 in points responsible for per game, points responsible for, passing efficiency, passing yards per game, passing touchdowns, yards per pass attempt, total offense, passing yards, completion percentage, passing yards per completion and completions per game. He was a finalist for the Manning Award and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. Williams was selected as the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. In addition to being the only head coach to tutor three Heisman Trophy winning quarterbacks, Riley now holds the record for most quarterbacks coached who have been selected at No. 1 all-time (Baker Mayfield in 2018, Kyler Murray in 2019 and Williams in 2024). In seven years as a head coach, Riley is now also tied for the most No. 1 overall draft selections coached at any position with Georgia’s Wally Butts (Frank Sinkwich in 1943, Charley Trippi in 1945 and Harry Babcock in 1953) who coached the Bulldogs from 1939 to 1960.
*Also in 2023, freshman wide receiver and electric return specialist Zachariah Branch was named USC’s first-ever true freshman First Team All-American for his special teams efforts. Branch also won the Jet Award presented annually to the nation’s most outstanding return specialist. He was the first Trojan since Adoree’ Jackson in 2016 to have a punt return and kickoff return for a TD, as well as at least one receiving TD in the same season. Jackson had 2 punt returns and 2 kickoff returns for TDs and 1 TD reception during the 2016 season. Since 1971 (when records are available) Branch is one of just 3 USC players to accomplish the feat, joining Jackson and Curtis Conway (1992 – 1 kickoff return TD, 1 punt return TD, 5 rec TDs).
*The Trojans wrapped up the season on a high-note with a thrilling Holiday Bowl victory as QB Miller Moss stepped in leading the Trojans to defeat No. 16 Louisville 42-28. Moss, the Holiday Bowl Offensive MVP, threw 6 touchdown passes setting the record for most touchdown passes thrown in a Holiday Bowl, most touchdown passes thrown in a USC bowl game, most touchdown passes thrown by a USC QB is his first Trojan start and tied the Pac-12 Bowl Game passing touchdown record. WR Tahj Washington also amassed 1,000 yards for the first time in his career. S Calen Bullock and RET Zachriah Branch were named to the AllPac-12 First Team. Seven total Trojans (Williams, Washington, Bullock, RB MarShawn Lloyd, OL Jarrett Kingston, WR Brenden Rice and RUSH Solomon Byrd) were drafted in 2024, marking the most USC players drafted since 2011.
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