IT AIN’T OVER — YET
Trojans start a run of three tough Pac-12 games today against No. 5-ranked Washington
Who wore it better?:
Yogi Berra? Or Lincoln Riley?
I’m leaning toward the late great Yogi, the sage Yankees catcher whose sporting proverbs resonate still because of how true they remain.
Riley’s version evokes a different sort of feeling, but, hey, maybe USC’s football coach is onto something too?
“I believe this team can win this league,” Riley told reporters after last Saturday’s weird and wild 50-49 victory against the 3-5 Cal Bears. “Hell yeah, I do. Hell yeah, I do. I know we can.”
Technically, he’s not wrong. USC isn’t cooked yet. But keep a fork handy.
The Trojans are 7-2 overall and 5-1 and in second place in Pac-12 play heading into its final three games of its final Pac-12 Conference season.
Those three games, though? This gantlet: Washington at home, Oregon on the road and
then UCLA back at the Coliseum — that’s the No. 5, No. 6 and No. 19 teams in the College Football Playoff rankings released this week. They’re a combined 26-3.
USC checks in at No. 20, which at once feels generous and not at all what we all expected when the season began in late August.
Just a few months ago, the Trojans were considered national championship contenders. But the future isn’t what it used to be, and whether or not Riley wants to talk about it now, their last realistic remaining hope is for a conference crown.
“You’ve got to bounce back and not miss these opportunities that are right here in front of our face,” Riley said. “And, man, do we have a golden one right here.”
But, man, does that feel like a heavy lift. Back-breaking, back-against-the-wall work.
The Trojans — three-point
The Rangers’ Marcus Semien celebrates his two-run homer with Jonah Heim during Game 5 of the World Series.