It wasn't supposed to be like this.
The Trojans are busy preparing for Arizona this week, but if the original schedule had held static, USC's season would've been over by now.
Until January, the Trojans were set to play Arizona on Oct. 10 and finish the season against UCLA on Nov. 28, but ABC requested to move the game against the Wildcats and put it on national TV on this Saturday. Coach Carroll agreed to the change about 11 months ago, in large part because it afforded his team a bye in the middle of the season. The original schedule before the switch had USC playing on 11 consecutive Saturdays, with only one bye just before the game against the Bruins.
While ending the season with an opponent other than UCLA or Notre Dame is a rarity, the schedule switch gave the Trojans a much-needed midseason bye while also putting the team on a national stage on the final weekend of the season.
"The bye was most beneficial for us," Carroll said. "It worked out very well for us."
University Southern California Trojans
Tuesday, June 23
Monday, June 22
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