Preseason College Football Top 25 Countdown - #12 USC

The college football season is less than three weeks away and as I try to pass the time between watching baseball highlights and Brett Favre speculation, I can't wait for the gridiron action to get started. So, if we can't watch football, we're going to talk football. So let's continue the Preseason College Football Top 25 Countdown.

#12. USC Trojans - Well as comedian Steve Harvey said once "all the news about your football team ain't been good news." This offseason the Trojans saw one of their best head coaches ever spring for the NFL and brought back in a coach that spent the entire previous season making an ass of himself at another program. QB Matt Barkley will attempt to take the next step forward in his quest to be the bext great USC quarterback. His freshman season had it share of rocky moments but with a year under his belt Barkley will be better at running the offense. Barkley will have veterans RB Allen Bradford and FB Stanley Havili returning in the backfield and will also be joined by freshman RB Dillon Baxter, who the Trojans have high hopes for.

Defensively, the Trojans have much to atone for in 2010 including a 55-21 loss to Stanford in 2009 that saw Toby Gerhart run wild on USC. DT Jurrell Casey and DE Nick Perry will be the backbone of Monte Kiffin's version of the USC defense.

USC is still the most talented group in the Pac 10 but with upheavel in the coaching staff as well as a newly announced ban on bowl games there will likely be a momentum hit at USC. That doesn't bode well for a Pac 10 title in 2010 but don't expect the Trojans to drop too far.