If It's Friday, It's Time For A USC Notes Column

Pac-12 schedule expected to be released today

Remember when Larry Scott said the Pac-12 would have its schedule out by the end of this week?

That means the schedule should be released today. 

Would it sur/prise me if it doesn't happen today? No. I'm sure there's been a lot of jockeying going on from athletic directors about who to play in the crossover games.

There's a case to be made to "protect" USC by giving it Washington State or Oregon State to enhance its chances of going 7-0.

With the luck of Clay Helton, it won't surprise me if that happens.

• If no fans are allowed in the luxury suites at the Coliseum, does that mean an extra year gets added to their lease for free?

• Boise State opens football practice Saturday. It will be the first practice there for ex-USC QB Jack Sears.
• What's the over/under on any Pac-12 games being postponed or cancelled? It would be brutal for any team like USC or Oregon to have a game cancelled. A six-game season would garner no respect from the College Football Playoff committee.

• Does USC want to play a 9 a.m. game this season? The Pac-12 is considering early starts. Does Fox want it for its national game of the week that starts at 12 p.m. (ET). I guess it depends on whether Fox thinks a USC-Arizona State would warrant being a marquee game.
• Five-star defensive lineman J.T. Tuimoloau of Sammamish (Wash.) listed his top 7 Thursday: USC, Oregon, Washington, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Alabama and Michigan.

• The first College Football Playoff rankings are Nov. 24. That means Pac-12 teams will have played three games.

• The New York Jets are awful but it seems as if Sam Darnold has made two great plays in the last two weeks. Here's one from Thursday night.

DARNOLD KEPT GOING 💨

(via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/J1kVAfDlWt

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 2, 2020

• USC tight end Erik Krommenhoek is a 2020 semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which goes to the nation’s top football scholar-athlete.

And now for some history:

• It's probably hard for a current USC wide receiver to relate to this comment in 1979 from wide receiver Kevin Williams: "I swear, with USC's run-oriented offense, it would be pretty dull being a wide receiver if you didn't like to block. I love to block. Of course, I like to catch the ball, too."

• Does anyone remember the Raffles? I'm not sure when it closed but it was open during the 1960's. And only 10 minutes from campus!

Singer Helen Reddy died this week. She was 78. In 1972, USC students could go to see perform at the Troubador.