USC football opens at No. 15 in USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll

Matt Zemek
·1 min read

The USC Trojans were ranked No. 15 in the preseason edition of the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll.

Some might view that as a surprise, others might view it as expected. Some might find the ranking too high, others too low.

What matters is that USC has to earn its place in college football. It won’t be handed to the Trojans on a silver platter. The Trojans need to take what’s out there. No one will roll out the red carpet for them and make this easy. It’s not supposed to be easy.

Notably, Utah and Oregon were ranked ahead of USC. The coaches think the Trojans won’t make the Pac-12 Championship Game this December in Las Vegas.

The coaches poll mirrors the Pac-12 media vote, which also had USC third behind Utah and Oregon.

Motivation? There should be no shortage of it for USC in 2022.

Here is the full poll:

  1. Alabama

  2. Ohio State

  3. Georgia

  4. Clemson

  5. Notre Dame

  6. Michigan

  7. Texas A&M

  8. Utah

  9. Oklahoma

  10. Baylor

  11. Oklahoma State

  12. Oregon

  13. N.C. State

  14. Michigan State

  15. USC

  16. Pittsburgh

  17. Miami

  18. Texas 

  19. Wake Forest

  20. Wisconsin

  21. Kentucky

  22. Cincinnati

  23. Arkansas

  24. Ole Miss

  25. Houston

List

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Story originally appeared on Trojans Wire