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Joel Klatt names historic college football program primed for a 'coming out party'

Joel Klatt addressed USC potentially flying under the radar.
Patrick Previty|
Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt
Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

In an appearance on The Herd with Colin Cowherd, Joel Klatt addressed USC potentially flying under the radar. “I think it's one of the more underrated teams in the country... their game this weekend against Michigan State is a perfect opportunity... and then they're going to have a monster game against Illinois, which is going to be kind of a coming out party for [Jayden] Maiava and this entire program as a reemergence as a power." The comment came during his weekly spot on The Herd and Cowherd admitted to coming around on the idea.

USC hosts Michigan State on Saturday night in Los Angeles (11 p.m. ET, FOX), a nationally televised window that sets up a bigger test a week later at No. 9 Illinois — a game the is also a national broadcast on FOX. That two-game run offers USC a fast way to change public perception about the Lincoln Riley era from the past couple years.

USC is 3–0 and ranked No. 25 in the AP Poll after a road Big Ten win at Purdue last Saturday. The Trojans averaged 9.6 yards per play across the first three games, are scoring 55 points per game, and have yet to throw an interception. Maiava is fifth nationally in passing yards and leads the FBS in yards per attempt among high-volume passers (14.1), while USC's team passer rating sits at 206.9.

USC's 33–17 win at Purdue could be a template for how the coming out party would look against better competition. In West Lafayette, Maiava went 17 of 28 for 282 yards without a turnover and added a short rushing touchdown. Backs Waymond Jordan and Eli Sanders combined for 152 rushing yards as the Trojans controlled the second half, and 360-pound defensive lineman Jamaal Jarrett sealed it with a 70-yard interception return for a score.

USC's remaining 2025 schedule

  • Sat, Sept. 20 — vs. Michigan State
  • Sat, Sept. 27 — at No. 9 Illinois
  • Sat, Oct. 11 — vs. No. 21 Michigan
  • Sat, Oct. 18 — at No. 24 Notre Dame
  • Sat, Nov. 1 — at Nebraska
  • Fri, Nov. 7 — vs. Northwestern
  • Sat, Nov. 15 — vs. Iowa
  • Sat, Nov. 22 — at No. 6 Oregon
  • Sat, Nov. 29 — vs. UCLA

The immediate tests are real for USC but after Illinois, the Trojans will also face Michigan and Notre Dame in back-to-back weeks (there's still a bye in between Illinois and Michigan). That two-game stretch will really tell us what kind of team USC is.

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Patrick Previty
PATRICK PREVITY

In addition to writing for On SI, Patrick is also a site expert for Canes Warning and has previously written for outlets such as Betsided, Orlando Magic Daily and Southbound and Down. He serves as a sideline reporter for ESPN+, covering UCF athletics and the Big 12 Conference. In 2024, he hosted a live, on-site UCF football pregame show that aired on ESPN+. Patrick has interviewed numerous figures in the college sports world, ranging from players to UCF’s athletic director. Recently, he traveled to Mobile, Ala., to cover the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl, where he spoke with multiple NFL Draft prospects. Patrick also hosts coverage of the Orlando Magic for Digest Media on YouTube and has become one of the leading voices on the team in the region. Patrick also helps run the social media department for The Voice of College Football Network, focusing on breaking news and digital storytelling. Patrick previously spent time at CNN in the sports department, where he assisted with CNN’s World Sport show and Bleacher Report updates for morning programming. Hailing from the Tampa Bay Area, Patrick is a lifelong fan of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Rays, Tampa Bay Lightning, Orlando Magic and UCF Knights.

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