Through the opening week of the school soccer season, employees writers Ben Bolch, Ryan Kartje, J. Brady McCollough and Thuc Nhi Nguyen addressed probably the most urgent questions going through the UCLA and USC soccer packages.

This season’s Faculty Soccer Playoff nationwide championship recreation can be performed at SoFi Stadium, so in addition they tackled which staff they imagine will clinch the title in Inglewood.

What number of wins does USC have to name this a profitable season?

Kartje: The honeymoon power in Troy remains to be going sturdy … for the second, at the very least. I feel a lot of the followers perceive {that a} staff doesn’t usually go from a 4-8 debacle to the precipice of the Faculty Soccer Playoff, regardless of who your coach occurs to be. That stated, this staff has sufficient expertise — and a simple sufficient schedule — to win at the very least 9 video games within the common season, and that ought to be the expectation. A lot hinges on the Trojans’ journey to Salt Lake Metropolis in October; beat the Utes, and instantly we’re speaking a few Pac-12 title favourite and a possible dark-horse playoff contender.

Bolch: Ten. It’s an impatient fan base, and even Lincoln Riley stated he anticipated to win huge in Yr 1. With this a lot hype, there’s no room for early stumbles that might be affordable in additional level-headed conditions.

McCollough: Ben’s proper. Ten wins is the marker for Riley in Yr 1, and it leaves little or no margin for error contemplating the Trojans play at Utah and in opposition to Notre Dame (every staff is consensus preseason high 10). In my Energy 5 picks, I’ve USC shedding to Utah, UCLA and Notre Dame. The bowl recreation is more likely to tackle large significance for Riley’s program in how his first 12 months is seen by the fan base.

Nguyen: It’s not simply outdoors expectations which are setting the bar excessive for USC this 12 months both. Riley has stated a number of occasions that they’re enjoying for championships this 12 months, and to do this the staff ought to have at the very least 9 regular-season wins and push towards a tenth with the bowl alternative.

What number of wins does UCLA have to name this a profitable season?

UCLA gamers rejoice defensive again Cameron Johnson’s interception in opposition to USC on the Coliseum on Nov. 20, 2021.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Occasions)

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Ben Bolch: It’s not the variety of wins however which of them the Bruins bag that can be most essential. They’ll in all probability have to win two of three video games in opposition to contenders Utah, Oregon and USC to get to the Pac-12 championship recreation. That will possible get them to (at the very least) 10 wins.

Nguyen: Particularly with such a simple schedule, the Bruins should get to at the very least double-digit wins to maintain the regular (however slower than desired) enchancment of the Chip Kelly period. After a number of years of low-stakes rivalry video games as each UCLA and USC struggled, this 12 months’s figures to have some actual juice as each groups are, theoretically, going to be battling on the high of the convention.

McCollough: Just like USC, Chip Kelly wants 10 wins to be ok with the trajectory of his program in Yr 5. Meaning beating one in every of Utah, USC and Oregon and taking good care of the groups that — at the very least on paper — ought to be very beatable for the Bruins. After all, 9-3 with a win over the Trojans within the Rose Bowl can be sufficient to maintain Chip’s seat cooled for one more 12 months.

Kartje: It’s completely crucial, with its cakewalk slate out of the gate, that UCLA win its first 5 video games. After that, we’ll see what Kelly and Co. are actually manufactured from. I’m not satisfied that the Bruins are on the identical stage as Utah, Oregon or USC, but when they will upend one of many Pac-12’s high tier, it’s not unreasonable to assume that they might end with 9 wins this season.

Is the USC highlight really good for Chip Kelly and UCLA? If that’s the case, why?

UCLA coach Chip Kelly smiles throughout Pac-12 soccer media day July 29 in Los Angeles.

(Damian Dovarganes / Related Press)

Bolch: Completely. Kelly would have made an ace fighter pilot as a result of he loves flying below the radar. The USC buzz has cratered curiosity within the Bruins to the purpose that solely two — two! — reporters confirmed as much as a handful of fall coaching camp practices. That leaves Kelly in his aspect of simply enjoying soccer with none distractions.

Nguyen: Additionally, wasn’t shying away from the nationwide highlight one of many main causes Kelly selected UCLA in 2017 when Florida was courting him as a head teaching candidate too? The chance to work considerably anonymously in Westwood versus below the blinding SEC highlight appealed to him, so I don’t anticipate any complaints coming from Kelly if everybody decides to direct their consideration to Heritage Corridor.

Kartje: Actually, I’d forgotten completely about Chip Kelly and his scorching seat this summer time. However whereas USC and Riley take their inevitable heel flip this season, I’ve little question Kelly will indulge in that anonymity for some time. If he can beat Riley of their first assembly on the Rose Bowl, possibly we’ll see that late-season highlight shift.

McCollough: Chip Kelly sticks to his “Win the Day” mantra regardless of what’s going on round him, but it surely definitely can’t harm that his gamers have needed to hear about USC all offseason after drubbing the Trojans within the Coliseum. Even Chip might discover a strategy to play that to his benefit motivationally, if he’s inclined. (He in all probability isn’t, however possibly some people on his teaching and coaching employees are?)

Can Caleb Williams actually contend for the Heisman?

USC quarterback Caleb Williams follows by on a cross throughout fall camp.

(Michael Owen Baker / For The Occasions)

Kartje: Positively. It took just some video games for Williams to burst onto the scene as a freshman Heisman contender in 2021. Now he’s had a complete 12 months to settle into the system. The child gloves are off, and Riley made clear that he now trusts Williams utterly. The largest leap from any quarterback comes between Yr 1 and Yr 2, and Williams isn’t any bizarre expertise. Three of Riley’s earlier 4 passers at Oklahoma have been at the very least Heisman finalists, and I wouldn’t be shocked to see Williams be a part of that distinguished fraternity this season. Reaching that stage, nonetheless, would require USC to at the very least significantly contend for a Pac-12 title, if not win one.

Nguyen: It completely comes all the way down to the staff’s efficiency, which might make Alex Grinch one of the crucial essential folks in Caleb Williams’ Heisman marketing campaign. The brand new defensive coordinator has an enormous enterprise in entrance of him to rebuild this protection that was statistically the worst in USC historical past. With so many explosive offensive weapons, Williams might undoubtedly put up Heisman-worthy numbers, but when the protection doesn’t assist the Trojans be nice within the wins column, it’s not going to be sufficient to maintain the Heisman hype practice working.

Bolch: So that you’re saying it could be the Grinch who stole a cheerful Trojans Christmas? That’s useless on. It isn’t Williams that’s the difficulty a lot because the staff round him. All people is aware of he can put collectively a Heisman-caliber season, but when the Trojans win fewer than 10 video games it received’t matter what he does. Quarterbacks enjoying within the Alamo Bowl don’t win Heismans.

McCollough: Caleb Williams completely has an opportunity at profitable this system’s eighth Heisman Trophy (sure, we’re counting Reggie Bush). I’ll have one thing later this week on this very subject.

Who do you anticipate to be the highest performer for UCLA?

UCLA’s Zach Charbonnet runs for a landing in opposition to Hawaii on Aug. 28, 2021, on the Rose Bowl.

(Ashley Landis / Related Press)

McCollough: It was attention-grabbing that Chip Kelly has made a degree of claiming that quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson would have been drafted if he had made the choice to go professional. If that’s true, then DTR actually did come again as a result of he’s motivated to complete off the particular season that it appeared just like the Bruins have been going to have final 12 months. DTR has flashed the sort of means that may put a staff excessive many occasions. He simply has to do it constantly week in and week out, and I anticipate he’ll. He additionally has needed to hear the entire Caleb Williams hype your complete offseason, fueling his fireplace much more.

Bolch: I’m tempted to go in a couple of instructions right here — Thompson-Robinson, sack-happy linebacker Darius Muasau and twin edge rushers Gabriel and Grayson Murphy are all intriguing candidates — however in the end I feel Zach Charbonnet dashes into the nation’s consciousness early within the season and stays there by Thanksgiving week, placing him in place for a visit to New York for the Heisman ceremony. Charbonnet goes to gobble up yards in the course of the Bruins’ best nonconference slate in 30 years, and he’s ok to maintain the momentum stepping into Pac-12 play because the Bruins search their first Rose Bowl since 1999.

Nguyen: Media and followers love quarterbacks, however Chip Kelly’s finest offenses undergo their working backs. With Zach Charbonnet, the Bruins have an incredible one to steer the cost. Whereas Dorian Thompson-Robinson will proceed his regular march up the college document books, I anticipate Charbonnet to be the most efficient participant for what ought to be a profitable UCLA offense.

Kartje: All aboard the Zach Charbonnet hype practice. Put me down as a believer that the Bruins’ high again is main the Pac-12 in dashing when the mud settles on this season.

We finish the season at SoFi Stadium no matter how effectively native groups carry out. Who’s your nationwide champion?

Alabama coach Nick Saban leads his staff on the sector earlier than the Faculty Soccer Playoff championship recreation in opposition to Georgia on Jan. 10 in Indianapolis.

(Paul Sancya / Related Press)

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Kartje: I received’t decide Alabama. I received’t decide Alabama. I received’t — ah effectively, who am I kidding? The Tide roll. Once more.

Bolch: Alabama. In a world altering at particle-accelerator velocity, some issues stay the identical.

McCollough: Alabama. Nick Saban and Bryce Younger each have a bone to select with Kirby Good and Georgia, and Ohio State’s protection hasn’t made up the bottom to go toe to toe with Alabama’s offense.

Nguyen: Alabama is inevitable. *Thanos snap.*