USC bowl game: Trojans holiday plans and scenario updates

In their final Pac-12 season for the foreseeable future, the USC Trojans finished the 2023 regular season 7-5. Coach Lincoln Riley's second season at the helm saw some regression and his worst record as a head coach in college football.

The Trojans' 2023 season can be cleanly divided into two halves. USC went 6-0 to start the season behind an offense scoring more than 50 points per game. Defending Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams led the offense as the Trojans held on for close wins over Colorado and No. 15 Arizona.

Then came the Trojans' Week 7 matchup with No. 16 Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish dominated in a 48-20 win over USC in South Bend. Williams was sacked four times and threw a career-high three interceptions as the Trojans suffered their worst loss of Riley's tenure. From then on, USC went 1-5 to close the season, the lone win coming against Cal in Week 9.

Despite the poor regular season finish, the Trojans are bowl-eligible once again in 2023.

Will USC play in a bowl game?

Yes. The Trojans' Week 6 win over Arizona ensured they would have enough wins to play in the postseason.

Which bowl game is USC playing in 2023?

Unlike most FBS conferences, the Pac-12 does not have a set order for bowls. Instead, it's about geography and finding the best possible games.

Two of the Pac-12-affiliated bowl games − the Holiday and LA Bowls − are in Southern California. Both the Trojans and UCLA are bowl-eligible and can play in those games and geographically it'd make the most sense to have those two teams play in them. Of the two, USC had a better conference record this season at 5-4 but lost the head-to-head matchup.

USC could also play in other bowl games relatively close to Los Angeles, including the Las Vegas Bowl.

Who will USC play in their bowl game?

The Holiday Bowl features a Pac-12 team facing a bowl-eligible team from the ACC. Eleven teams meet that criteria in the ACC in 2023, 12 if you include Notre Dame as well. The ACC doesn't typically use a specified order for its bowl participants and instead would go for the best matchups. Clemson or Duke would make for good opponents here.

If the Trojans end up with the LA Bowl, they'll likely draw the Mountain West Conference champion. It's arguably the Mountain West's top bowl game considering the conference plays a Pac-12 team instead of a Group of Five program. That matchup would be either UNLV or Boise State depending on who wins the Mountain West title.

A Las Vegas Bowl spot would pit the Trojans against a Big Ten team. Four Big Ten teams are ranked − No. 2 Michigan, No. 6 Ohio State, No. 10 Penn State, and No. 17 Iowa − and all of them, except for the Hawkeyes, are expected go to New Year's Six bowl games. Big Ten members Maryland, Wisconsin, and Northwestern are all, like USC, 7-5 and unranked after the regular season. Of the three, Maryland seems like the best matchup.

USC Trojans bowl predictions roundup

USA Today: USC Trojans vs. Boise State Broncos in the LA Bowl

This matchup presumes that Boise State will win the Mountain West title over UNLV.

CBS Sports: USC Trojans vs. Clemson Tigers in the Holiday Bowl

This scenario has two major programs facing off in down years.

247Sports: USC Trojans vs. Clemson Tigers in the Holiday Bowl

Brad Crawford says, "It's either Oregon State or USC in this spot from the Pac-12. And organizers know Caleb Williams will likely opt-out."

The Athletic: USC Trojans vs. Clemson Tigers in the Holiday Bowl

Fox Sports: USC Trojans vs. Maryland Terrapins in the Las Vegas Bowl

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USC Trojans football 2023 bowl game options after Pac-12 final