Why USC Trojans are Flying Under the Radar According to One Analyst

The USC Trojans have got off to a quick 2-0 start this season with blowout wins over the Missouri State Bears and Georgia Southern Eagles. College football analyst and broacaster Joel Klatt thinks more people around the country should be discussing this.

Joel Klatt: "Nobody Talking About USC"

USC Trojans Lincoln Riley Big Ten College Football Joel Klatt Oklahoma Sooners Quarterback Jayden Maiava Running Back Waymond — Fox Sports announcer Joel Klatt walks across the field prior to the NCAA football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Indiana Hoosiers at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Here is what Klatt said on The Joel Klatt Show on YouTube.

“Nobody talking about USC. They are sitting at 30th in the AP Poll…First and foremost, no drama at USC and I think that’s a big deal for Lincoln Riley,” Klatt said. “Granted, lesser opponents, I understand that…Some people are taking care of business against lesser opponents and some people aren’t.”

USC has outscored Missouri State and Georgia Southern by a combined score of 132-33. There is nothing USC can do about the strength of the team they are playing once the season kicks off. All they can do is execute to the best of their ability, and they have done exactly that.

“It’s really how they are doing it…My biggest knock against USC under Riley is that they have not run the football well enough to be what he was at Oklahoma,” Klatt said. “Let’s take a look at the numbers. They’ve run it really well this year; 8.6 yards per carry, that’s No. 1 in the country.”

Klatt believes that for USC to have the success that the Oklahoma Sooners did under Riley; winning conference titles and making the College Football Playoff, they have to run the ball.

“At Oklahoma during the Lincoln Riley tenure when he was the head coach, over that span was No. 1 in the country in average yards per rush,” Klatt said. “I think that we need to be paying attention to that…It also has to be coupled with the ability the throw the ball and (Jayden) Maiava right now, third in the country in throwing the football.”

Klatt added another statistic backing the idea that this USC team looks more like those Oklahoma teams. Oklahoma while being a great rushing offense, also had their quarterback around third in passing in the country, just like current USC starting quarterback Jayden Maiava.

“The blueprint for how Lincoln Riley succeeds in this sport is there,” Klatt said. “A quarterback that can play in the top end throwing the football and a running game that is dominant.”

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USC's Rushing Attack

The USC Trojans have the top ranked rushing attack in college football through two weeks. On 63 team carries, USC has 542 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns.

Their leading rusher is currently Waymond Jordan, who spent time playing in junior college before joining the Trojans this season. He has 21 carries for 209 yards and two touchdowns. This is an average of 10.0 yards per carry.

USC's second leasing rusher is King Miller. Miller has seven carries for 135 yards and two touchdowns.