USC has been on a roll to start the 2024 season. With 2 weeks in the books, the Trojans are a perfect 2-0 with wins over LSU and Utah State.

With a win over a quality SEC opponent in Week 1, the Trojans further impressed in Week 2 by blanking Utah State 48-0. After 2 impressive performances, ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) is taking notice.

The Trojans are now up to No. 8 in the FPI rating and have moved up a whopping 7 spots after Week 2. The Trojans now have the 3rd-best chance to win the B1G and have a 44.1% chance to reach the College Football Playoff.

In a breath of fresh air, the defense for Lincoln Riley’s program is a major reason why the Trojans are on the rise. After holding the team back in recent seasons, it looks like the defense may finally be a competent unit.

The 48-0 blowout of Utah State was the Trojan’s first shutout since November 2011 when they beat UCLA 50-0. 20 points is also the least amount of points the Trojans have allowed through 2 games since 2015.

At No. 8 in FPI, Ohio State and Penn State are the only B1G teams ahead of USC right now. The Buckeyes stayed steady at the No. 4 spot, while the Nittany Lions fell 2 spots to No. 7. Oregon, one of the top teams in the country ahead of the season, has tumbled behind USC with some close calls.

The Trojans are off in Week 3, but the team will get another chance to impress the FPI in Week 4 when they open up B1G play against the Michigan Wolverines. That game comes in Ann Arbor, but things look much different with USC’s start and the way Michigan was dominated by Texas in Week 2.

Another good sign for the Trojans is that the team has a greater than 50.0% chance to win each of their remaining games. Here are the win percentage chances for each game per the FPI:

  • Sept. 21 at Michigan — 55.8%
  • Sept. 28 vs. Wisconsin — 87.6%
  • Oct. 5 at Minnesota — 75.2%
  • Oct. 12 vs. Penn State — 57.6%
  • Oct. 19 at Maryland — 63.2%
  • Oct. 25 vs. Rutgers — 87.3%
  • Nov. 2 at Washington — 61.6%
  • Nov. 16 vs. Nebraska — 78.3%
  • Nov. 23 at UCLA — 81.9%
  • Nov. 30 vs. Notre Dame — 63.9%