Petros Papadakis from Fox Sports shares insights on the USC vs LSU matchup

Who says Christmas cannot arrive early? College Football fans across the nation will have an early present to unwrap as the LSU Tigers do battle with USC for just the third time in their rich program's histories. These teams are currently mirror images of each other. Both squads will be featuring new signal callers along with much needed upgrades on the defensive side of the ball. The similarities don't stop there as head coaches Brian Kelly and Lincoln Riley each left established tenures at Notre Dame and OU to migrate to Baton Rouge & SoCal. This is one of the more stellar contests on the landscape. Fasten your seatbelts.

To delve deeper into the showdown in Las Vegas, I had the opportunity to catch up with a long-time friend and the captain of arguably the worst team in USC history, according to him, Fox Sports’ Petros Papadakis.

Craig: Will there be any awkwardness in this contest in lieu of USC trying to get out of this matchup?

Petros: Craig, it's just great to see two programs like this face off, especially west of the Mississippi. It might be a little awkward considering that USC spent the entire summer trying to get out of this game. The fans are the beneficiaries as this is a marquee game and it's the only contest on September 1st in prime time. That's great visibility for each program.

Craig: On the offensive side of the ball, so much has been made with Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels both entering the NFL as the 1-2 selections. However, the cupboard isn't bare for either program. There's still a ton of talent, especially at the QB position, correct?

Petros: You're right about that. People forget quickly that Caleb Williams had a record of 7-7 in his last 14 starts. With Miller Moss at QB now, I think Lincoln Riley can call an offense that is on time just like they were in the Holiday Bowl. That should go a long way in helping the overall identity of the team and offense in particular.

Craig: What about on the defensive side of the ball? What can Tigers fans expect to see from the Trojans D?

Petros: I'm excited to see what USC looks like with a new defensive staff. Doug Belk, D’Anton Lynn and Matt Entz make for an interesting staffing mix. These are proven coaches who are not from the air raid background. The big question is if they can transform and change some of the embarrassing efforts from the Trojans defensively in past outings.