When you take a look around the nation at the teams that are capable of winning a BCS national title, the first thing you have to look at is talent. Everyone on the landscape does not have the talent to be a champion and that is the most critical element to producing a winner.

Teams like LSU and Alabama all fit that bill. So too, do the USC Trojans. They’ve got elite players at every level and that starts with Matt Barkley on offense and TJ McDonald on defense.

The second key component to getting to a title is the schedule. For the Trojans, a team without the marquee out of conference matchup of a team like Alabama, it truly boils down to getting through their league and beating Notre Dame. Washington, with their offense built around Keith Price, should be in an interesting game, but the real kicker to the Trojans’ schedule is Oregon.

Beating the Ducks in Los Angeles once is one thing, a possible rematch could end up being the most difficult part of the season for Lane Kiffin’s talented team.

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