The latest trend in College Football has been programs canceling their Spring Games, and the USC Trojans were one of the schools to begin the trend.
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders took a slightly different approach and has called for the game to take more of a “pro-style” and feature two different teams (like a preseason game) instead of just the same team’s offense playing the defense.
“I would actually like to play the spring game against another team in the spring,” Sanders said earlier this week. “That’s what I’m trying to do right now. To have a competitive game against your own guys gets kind of monotonous. You really can’t tell the level of your guys because it’s the same old, same old. Everybody kind of knows each other toward the end. I would like to style it like the pros. I would like to practice against somebody for a few days then you have the spring game. I think the public will be satisfied with that tremendously. It’s a tremendous idea.”
It actually is a really good idea that would give programs the opportunity to get some live reps against other programs, which would better prepare them for the season ahead.
On3’s Ari Wasserman ran with this idea and created some potential matchups that would really excite fans and the college football world. His opponent for the USC Trojans would be epic.
USC Trojans Take On Oklahoma Sooners In Norman
Oh, the drama that would exist with this exhibition game. Much more so on the Oklahoma side than the Trojans, but Lincoln Riley returning to Norman would certainly create some buzz.
Ari writes:
“You have two programs in transition who are entering the season with big questions about their head coaches. Then, of course, you’d have the highly-anticipated return of former Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley. Newsflash: He wouldn’t be so welcome. Not only would you have that drama to unpack, you’d also have the opportunity to get a look at first-year Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer, who many are anticipating could be the catalyst for the turnaround in Norman.”
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Both of these programs are in very similar situations. Both coaches are entering Year 4, and both are coming off of very disappointing 2024 seasons. Both the USC Trojans and Oklahoma shook up their front office and hired new General Managers. And both are blue blood programs who are clawing to get back to the top.
Aside from the theatrics, this could actually be a very good proposition for each program. Getting a few days of practice against other competitors can do wonders. NFL coaches talk all the time about how much value their team gets when having joint practices in the fall.
Plus, as Sanders alluded to, when you go against the same guys every single day, you begin to pick up on certain tendencies, which can actually be a bit of a detriment when preparing for an unknown opponent.
With the way the NCAA operates, who knows if this will ever be an actual thing. And first and foremost, the issue of tampering would need to be solved first. But for USC Trojans fans, we can dream about this becoming a reality one day, it would be a worthwhile spectacle.