What Did ESPN College GameDay Say About USC Trojans College Football Playoff Hopes?

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The USC Trojans take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Saturday night, Oct. 5, in Minneapolis.
USC Mentioned on ESPN College Gameday?

The USC Trojans vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers game on Saturday night was not discussed on ESPN College GameDay. The show is in Berkeley, California, this week for the Miami vs. Cal game. It was College GameDay’s first-ever stop at Cal for the show.
The one slight mention of the Trojans was during Coach Nick Saban’s coaching clicker when he broke down the Michigan Wolverines rush attack. Some of the film used was in the Trojans 27-24 loss to the Wolverines.
The Trojans game against the Golden Gophers received no airtime.
First ESPN College Gameday in Berkeley
Heading into Saturday, Cal was one of a handful of Power Conference teams that had never hosted ESPN’s College GameDay. That streak came to an end as the Bears are taking on No. 8 Miami at 7:30 p.m. PT.
The show started at 6 a.m. local time, and the Cal fans showed up in a big way. The guest picker was former Cal running back Marshawn Lynch.
What makes College Gameday so great is getting to see university’s showing their school pride and also the uniqueness within each school. For a school that has gotten a reputation for “not caring at all about sports,” they proved that they have a decimated fan base and they love their Bears.
The Miami Hurricanes are led by star quarterback Cam Ward. The Hurricanes are 5-0 and primed for a college football playoff run.
The California Golden Bears have used tough-as-nails defenses to get off to a 3-1 start. The “Calgorithm” movement is alive and well
Trojans Must Protect Miller Moss Better

The USC Trojans face off against the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. PT.
USC is coming off a 38-21 win over Wisconsin. The No. 11 Trojans enter the game as an eight point favorite per ESPN Bet.
Something to watch for is how quarterback Miller Moss will bounce back from getting banged up a week ago. Moss took some shots against the Wisconsin defense. After his touchdown rush, he entered the blue tent to be further evaluated for what was most likely a concussion.
Moss is cleared to play vs. Minnesota, but the Trojans must do a better job of protecting him. Furthermore, Moss will have to be smart about sliding and avoiding unnecessary hits.
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Cory Pappas is sports writer for USC Trojans On SI and Oregon Ducks On SI. Since starting in March of 2024, he has been writing breaking news stories, game previews, game recaps, and more across College Sports, the NFL, MLB, NBA, and Olympics for Total Apex Sports. In addition to writing, Cory is also a sports data scout for Sportradar. He covers live sporting events ranging from college athletics to semi-pro and professional. Before joining the industry, Cory graduated from the University of Oregon in 2022. He ran track for Oregon's club Track and Field team. Before Oregon, he played varsity basketball and track and field in high school in Walnut Creek, CA. Cory is using his lifelong passion for sports and writing together.
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