When USC takes the field against TCU in tonight’s Alamo Bowl, the Trojans will look like a very different team than the one that won nine games and finished tied with Michigan for fourth place in the Big
Ten this season.
The Trojans will be led by junior quarterback Jordan Maiava (who led all Big Ten quarterbacks with 3,431 passing yards) and running back King Miller (who rushed for 873 yards in his first season in Los Angeles), but beyond that, there will be a number of unfamiliar faces in prominent roles.
The losses are most pronounced in the receiving corps, where USC’s top two receiving threats, Biletnikoff Award winner Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane (who combined for 128 catches, 1,901 yards and 15 touchdowns) will both sit out tonight’s game. Tight ends Lake McRee and Walker Lyons will also be unavailable, taking away another 50 receptions, 678 yards and six touchdowns from the Trojan offense. Dealing with those losses will be a significant adjustment for Maiava and the Trojans.
Defensively, USC will also be shorthanded. Kamari Ramsey and Eric Gentry head a list of starters who won’t suit up, leaving the Trojans short on experience and long forcing younger, more inexperienced players into extended action.
But that’s not to say there isn’t an upside. With so many contributors missing, tonight’s matchup may serve as something of an audition for next season. It could also pave the way for a big game for USC’s running game. Waymond Jordan has not been ruled out (“It’s a little too early to say right now,” head coach Lincoln Riley said when asked about Jordan’s status), but with the junior still recovering from a mid-season ankle injury, look for Miller, one of the more pleasant surprises for USC this season, to take on an even larger workload.
TCU enters the Alamo Bowl with more continuity, but with a pair of significant losses of its own: Offensive Coordinator Kendal Briles and starting quarterback Josh Hoover. Briles left to assume the same role at South Carolina and Hoover left the program and entered transfer portal.
Losing Hoover is a particularly big loss. The redshirt junior finished the season second in the Big 12 with 3,472 passing yards and 29 touchdowns. Starting in Hoover’s place will be Ken Seals – who has attempted just 20 passes during his two seasons in Fort Worth.
TCU will have the services of its top three rushers and three of its top four receivers, including first-team Big 12 selection Eric McAllister, who leads the Horned Frogs with 64 receptions for 1,121 yards and ten touchdowns.
This advantage in available skill-position players creates a reversal of roles between the two teams. USC will rely on a veteran quarterback throwing to new targets, while TCU will lean on experienced receivers and running backs to help ease the transition for a new starter under center.
All of which will make an interesting match-up. One that may not resemble a traditional postseason showcase, but one that offers each team a chance to close the season on a high note – even if many of the names on the jerseys will look a little different than what fans might expect.
