The USC Trojans appear to be in a tough predicament as disaster looms for head coach Lincoln Riley. Opt-outs and transfers have left the squad thinner than ever, with reports claiming that almost 20 percent of the 98-player squad have been sidelined or departed. This has turned the Alamo Bowl into a high-stakes audition for the unproven talent.

The situation started becoming more and more complicated and puzzling when star running back Waymond Jordan announced his return for 2026. However, an injury that he sustained back in October during the Michigan clash, requiring surgery, ruled him out of bowl action. Jordan tested pregame warmups against UCLA, but had to sit out, leaving true freshman King Miller as the lead back.

With Bryan Jackson and Harry Dalton hitting the transfer portal, freshmen Riley Wormley and James Johnson had to step up for depth, forcing Lincoln Riley to gamble on youth in San Antonio. According to reports, a total of 21 players have been ruled out of contention for the USC Trojans. Additionally, receiver woes have compounded the crisis as Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane bolted for the NFL, elevating freshman Tanook Hines as Jayden Maiava’s top target.

At tight end, Taniela Tupou has emerged as the frontrunner after Lake McRee’s draft entry and Walker Lyons’ jump to the portal, and that too, despite zero catches this year. When it comes to the offensive line, which has already seen a season-long shuffle, it has lost left tackle Elijah Paige and center Kilian O’Connor. Defensively, USC freshman phenom Jahkeem Stewart sits with a stress fracture he battled all year, while squad starter Anthony Lucas is out nursing an injury as Devon Thompkins portaled out.

Freshman Floyd Boucard is bulking up inside, Jadyn Ramis is eyeing debut reps at end, and the inside linebacker duties have fallen in the lap of Desman Stephens and Jadyn Walker. Meanwhile, linebackers will receive the backing of Elijah Newby and Ta’Mere Robinson after Eric Gentry’s draft declaration. On the other hand, their opponents may not have a roster as thin as USC’s right now, but they lost their trump card.

Licolnd Riley’s USC takes on TCU without Josh Hoover

Losing a star quarterback can be comparable to losing a bunch of good players. TCU’s Alamo Bowl dreams dimmed further when Josh Hoover opted out, leaving the Horned Frogs after starting for the team for two seasons in a row and registering nineteen wins and twelve losses. He had previously claimed to have loved TCU, but later, the 21-year-old, who will be graduating in May with a year of eligibility left, decided to enter the transfer portal to finish his final college chapter elsewhere, making him a key loss for the TCU Horned Frogs at the San Antonio game.

Yet in the roster of chaos, silver linings emerge for Lincoln Riley’s depleted Trojans. TCU’s quarterback void gives them a secondary fighting chance against the backups. Without Josh Hoover’s proven arm-fuelling an 8-4 regular season campaign, Sonny Dykes’s team’s offense stalls, easing pressure on USC’s injury-riddled line and freshman-laden squad depth.

For Lincold Riley’s team, which is missing almost one-fifth of its roster, this TCU self-inflicted wound could transform a potential disaster into audition gold. The USC youth have a chance to step up and take charge on the field. Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below.

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