LOS ANGELES – After an announcement coming over an hour later than originally intended, after a season that disappointed massively compared to what was originally intended, the USC football team’s bowl-game placement was appropriately anticlimactic.
On Sunday afternoon, the DIRECTV Holiday Bowl announced USC (7-5) would be facing Louisville (10-3) on Dec. 27 in San Diego, a matchup that features definite talent and a distinct lack of pre-existing narrative – the two programs, from Pac-12 and AAC lore, have never met in history.
From USC’s standpoint, though, there’s still plenty of intrigue that could warrant a holiday road trip down to San Diego.
There’s the question of who starts at quarterback for the Trojans, given Caleb Williams’ potential to declare for the NFL Draft – do they throw out backup Miller Moss? Do they take a flier on upside with freshman Malachi Nelson? Plus, it will be the first test and USC introduction for newly-minted defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn, who will see if he can have an immediate impact on a patchwork of a defense before assembling a new unit from recruits and transfers in the offseason.
USC and Louisville will meet at 5 p.m. at Petco Park on Dec. 27 and the game will be televised on FOX.