What Matt Barkley and the USC Trojans Need To Do To Be Ranked Again

As expected, the USC Trojans fell from the AP Top 25 poll this week after a dismal performance against the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Saturday. Despite winning, the only two Trojans who stepped up during the game were Matt Barkley and Robert Woods. 

Many of the Trojans' flaws were exposed during that game.

They couldn't establish a running game. The coaching staff made a huge blunder by going for two points after their first touchdown. Most importantly, the offensive line was essentially invisible.

The Trojans now face new Pac-12 rival Utah on Saturday. This is expected to be a tough match for the Trojans, especially if they play the way they did in Week 1. One positive is that Marc Tyler will be in the lineup for the Trojans, and this will be a boost for the running game. 

They will need more than a win over Utah to be ranked again. 

Looking at USC's schedule, it has another cupcake game against Syracuse the following Saturday. 

It isn't until Week 4 that the Trojans face some stiff competition at Arizona State. A win in the desert could vault them into the Top 25 again assuming they take care of business against Utah and Syracuse. 

If that doesn't boost them into the Top 25, it's going to take a win over Stanford.

USC absolutely needs to run the table. The way the Trojans are playing, they're not going to blow anybody out. Their defense is too weak, and their offensive line is too inconsistent. They need to win some close games and make sure they beat a couple of big teams like Notre Dame and Stanford. 

If they can hang in towards the top of the Pac-12 South until their toughest match of the season at Oregon, they can probably finish the season in the Top 25.

It'll most likely take a 10-2 season with a few blowouts against the Californias and Colorados of the world, but it is possible.

Offensive line coach James Cregg needs to bolster the young offensive line and give them the confidence they need to succeed. USC also can't be so one-dimensional. It's fantastic that Barkley and Woods are playing at Heisman levels, but the offense is becoming too predictable.

Again, Marc Tyler's addition will make USC's running attack a little bit more potent, but he has to actually perform so that USC's offense will become more unpredictable. 

As for the Trojans defense, they need to play like they did in the first half against Minnesota and on the last drive, when they picked the Gophers off to secure the victory. 

Even though this season really doesn't matter, a Top 25 finish would be a great momentum-builder for next season.