With the loss of a few key seniors, they were probably a top 12 team at the start of the season. Starting not long afterwards, they have been increasingly and absolutely decimated by injuries. Almost half of the starters are out. They matched up quite poorly with Notre dame.

quote:
Starting predator linebacker Porter Gustin is out with a broken toe and torn bicep. Starting defensive end Rasheem Green is not practicing with an ankle sprain. Starting nose tackle Josh Fatu is out with a concussion sustained in a car accident. Backup nose tackle Marlon Tuipulotu is out for the season after back surgery. Veteran lineman Kenny Bigelow is retired after a string of knee injuries derailed his Trojan career.

Redshirt junior Malik Dorton is the only starter not directly contending with injury, and he is just a couple of weeks removed from suffering a knee sprain against Washington State.

quote:
Out for season: DL Kenny Bigelow (retirement), K Michael Brown (knee), CB Greg Johnson (shoulder), LB Tayler Katoa (knee), CB Jonathan Lockett (hip), S Isaiah Pola-Mao (shoulder), OL Viane Talamaivao (pectoral), DL Marlon Tuipulotu (back), WR Keyshawn “Pie” Young (hamstring/redshirt)
Out: OLB Hunter Echols (hip), DL Josh Fatu (concussion), OLB Porter Gustin (toe/bicep), OT Nathan Smith (knee)
Doubtful: RB Stephen Carr (foot), Damon Johnson (back/concussion)
Questionable: OL Toa Lobendahn (pectoral)
Probable: OL Chuma Edoga (ankle), DL Rasheem Green (ankle), TE Daniel Imatorbhebhe (hip), Ronald Jones II (ankle), CB Isaiah Langley (illness)

With their remaining soft schedule they may actually sneak into the PAC-12 title game. Only with luck would they win that game, thus keeping the PAC-12 out of the playoffs

This post was edited on 10/21/17 at 9:58 pm