USC Football: Winning It All Won't Be Easy for Heavily Favored Trojans

It is never too early to start making predictions for the 2012 college-football season. If you’re a person who agrees with that mantra, then the oddsmakers over at Bovada are here to help you get your preseason fix.

Hedging their early bets for the 2012 national championship, neither Alabama nor LSU ended up favored to win. After the 2011 seasons for both teams, it would be an easy assumption that one of the two would have another shot at winning it all once again. Since neither is predicted to be No. 1, who is?

Look no further than the "Golden State," where this fall, the USC Trojans come off a two-year postseason ban. Led by head coach Lane Kiffin, USC will once again be eligible for the Bowl Championship Series. According to Bovada, the Trojans are the 3-1 early favorite to win the national championship.

If push comes to shove and Bovada is right, the Trojans could be the last team to win a national championship under the current BCS system. As of Wednesday afternoon, the BCS commissioners reached a consensus on a four-team playoff. As long as the school presidents approve, the BCS, as it is currently known, will cease to exist.

Regardless, USC is sitting nicely at the top of this list. Will the Trojans' 2012 season end up being a bust? The odds are only worth so much, but they may just have a chip on their shoulders come fall. Maybe Bovada is onto something.

While I was initially shocked not to see Alabama or LSU at the top of the list, I can't help but agree that the Trojans might just have it in them to win. The 2011 season was a frustrating one for USC, as the Trojans genuinely could have had a shot at the BCS had their ban not held them back. It's tough to predict what this team will do.

To get to the national championship, Athlon is predicting that USC will beat Oregon twice in the same season. Feels like Alabama-LSU 2012 Round 2, doesn't it? It will be fascinating to see how these two match up, especially with USC coming off a win over the Ducks. However, we cannot forget that it was a 34-yard missed field goal that sealed that win for the Trojans.

The Ducks will be one of USC's greatest challenges this season. While the Trojans return some great players, including Matt Barkley, the Ducks have their fair share of depth and talent.

If USC is able to get through the Pac-12 with the wins needed and a conference championship, its next challenge will be matching up against (more than likely) a team from the SEC. The SEC has won the past six championships, so this would be a feat for USC. Needless to say, the road to victory will not be easy for the Trojans.

Whatever ends up happening, the Pac-12, and all of college football, should keep an eye on USC. If the cards fall just right, the Trojans could legitimately be your 2012 BCS national champions.

Where does your team land? Do you agree with Bovada’s predictions? You can find the full list here, courtesy of the Orlando Sentinel. Share your thoughts now.