The Times of Troy: The next month is key for these six Trojans

I’m Ryan Kartje, your USC beat writer at The Times, reporting to you in the aftermath of the first 12-team College Football Playoff bracket reveal. How Penn State, a team that probably should’ve lost to USC, ended up with an easier path to the title game than Oregon, the undefeated Big Ten champ, is lost on me. My biggest question coming out of USC’s Big Ten hoops debut last week was how Saint Thomas — a player many, including Eric Musselman, believed could be the Trojans’ best, most versatile playmaker this season — suddenly looked so tentative as a scorer. “Sometimes, all it takes is to see one go in.” In case you missed it USC to close its first Big Ten season by playing Texas A&M in the Las Vegas Bowl USC ends three-game losing streak with win at Washington Will Lincoln Riley look to the portal for USC’s starting QB? 12 Oregon a scare before collapsing late in Big Ten debut USC and Lincoln Riley salvage challenging signing day by landing Jahkeem Stewart USC linebackers coach Matt Entz takes Fresno State head coaching job Jordan Addison pleads not guilty to DUI charges after being found asleep in Rolls-Royce near LAX JuJu Watkins breaks another USC record in blowout win over Cal Baptist UCLA and USC football transfer portal tracker: Who’s in and who’s out?