Analyst Reveals What Needs to Change for USC to Make the CFP

Analyst Reveals What Needs to Change for USC to Make the CFP originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Life for the USC Trojans under Lincoln Riley has been filled with what-ifs and disappointment. Heading into his fourth season, he aims to make the College Football Playoff. This goal has eluded him previously during his time in Southern California, despite the team's efforts, and a Pac-12 Championship Game loss in 2022 prevented him from achieving it.

College football analyst Joel Klatt believes this could be the year to break the duck. Speaking on 'The Joel Klatt Show: A College Football Podcast,' he listed ten teams who could be in a position to break their playoff drought. The Fox Sports commentator had the Trojans listed as the No. 7 team.

Klatt was very optimistic about Riley's team and highlighted a few things why they are a contender.

"If they were able to turn some of those close losses from last season into wins, you've got Jayden Maiava (quarterback) back, who started the last four games last season, led the comeback against Texas A&M. Now he has had an entire off-season as the starter. Turnovers killed them at the quarterback position (previous season). If you limit turnovers, then you are going to be in it; you have a chance to win nine or ten games."

In a previous episode of his podcast, Klatt revealed the ten biggest games that could shape the college football playoff. The USC game against the Illinois Fighting Illini in Week 5. If they could win that game and the four previous, they would be at 5-0 going into a bye week. Then they would face the Michigan Wolverines at home, followed by the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Nebraska Cornhuskers on the road. Win two or even three of the games, and then they would have a serious chance of making the CFP in 2025.

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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 8, 2025, where it first appeared.