University Southern California Trojans
USC
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Western Michigan
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Players Mentioned
NO. 4 USC Football Hosts Western Michigan in 2017 Season Opener
August 27, 2017 | Football, Features
 *The USC football team--the 125th in school history--begins its 2017 season ranked fourth in the nation and with high hopes when it hosts Western Michigan, college football's wonder team of 2016.Â
*It's the start of a 3-game homestand for the Trojans.Â
*This not only is USC's first-ever meeting versus the Broncos, but against any current team from the Mid- American Conference.Â
*Troy is riding the wave of a 9-game winning streak (most recently the legendary last-second Rose Bowl victory over Penn State), as well as 9 straight home victories and 11 in a row in Greater L.A.Â
*Historically, USC usually wins its opener following a victorious Rose Bowl.Â
*Head coach Clay Helton, a 2016 finalist for the Bryant Coach of the Year Award, has 14 starters returning from Troy's 2016 squad that went 10-3 and finished with a No. 3 ranking, including leading Heisman Trophy candidate QB Sam Darnold (3,086 passing yards, 67.2% completions, 31 TDs last fall). Other key offensive returnees include TB Ronald Jones II (1,082 rushing yards, 12 TDs last season) and WR Deontay Burnett (13 of his 56 receptions last fall came in the Rose Bowl with 3 scores, including the game-tying TD in the final minutes). Among the Trojans' top defenders are ILB Cameron Smith (a 2016 Sophomore All-American with 161 career tackles; he must sit the first half versus WMU because of a Rose Bowl targeting penalty), CB Iman Marshall (6 career interceptions), OLBs Porter Gustin (13 tackles for loss in 2016) and Uchenna Nwosu and DL Rasheem Green (6 sacks in 2016). Some members of USC's talented freshman class figure to make their debuts on Saturday.Â
*Western Michigan had a magical 2016, winning its first 13 games before losing in the Cotton Bowl. Gone, however, are head coach P.J. Fleck, Bronco career passing leader QB Zach Terrell and consensus All-American/NFL first round WR Corey Davis, the NCAA career receiving yardage recordholder. Ex-WMU star signalcaller Tim Lester is the new head coach, inheriting 15 returning starters (8 on defense). QB Jon Wassink, Terrell's successor, will see his first college action. WMU's strong ground attack features RBs Jarvion Franklin (3,639 career rushing yards, school record 41 rushing TDs), Jamauri Bogan (1,974 career rush yards with 24 TDs) and LeVante Bellamy. All-MAC first team OT Chukwuma Okorafor anchors the line. The Bronco defense is led by CB Darius Phillips, a 2016 All-MAC first teamer and the MAC Special Teams Player of the Year who owns the league season/career marks for interception TDs, along with LB Robert Spillane (111 tackles in 2016), S Justin Tranquill, LBs Asantay Brown and Caleb Bailey and DE Eric Assoua.Â
*The 2017 season marks the 50th anniversary of USC's 1967 national championship season.Â
*Traveler IX, the latest version of USC's iconic white horse mascot, will make its debut.Â
*Also new this year will be a pair of videoboards at the east end of the Coliseum (replacing the old boards atop the peristyle), restoring the peristyle to its original design.Â
*The game, which will feature a pre-game flyover and a visit by the AFCA national championship trophy, will be shown live nationally on Pac-12 Network.
