Who will be USC's starting QB for Holiday Bowl? Exploring Trojans' QB Depth chart ahead of Louisville matchup

The 2023 season was the USC Trojans' last season as a Pac-12 member. The season did not go as they had planned. USC ended the season with an underwhelming 7-5 record, losing four of its last five games in the regular season. Tonight, it will play in the Holiday Bowl against the Louisville Cardinals.

The Trojans starting quarterback, Caleb Williams, has opted to sit out the bowl game as fans await his official declaration for the draft. With Williams out of the picture, Lincoln Riley will require his backup quarterback, Miller Moss, to step up. Moss will look to give the Trojans fans something to cheer about after a poor season.

Riley seems to have plenty of confidence in Moss as a quarterback. During a press conference, he said,

“I think he's improved as a player. I would have liked to have been able to play him a little bit more here in the last couple of years. But the opportunities that he has had, he's played well and he's moved us well.”

Moss played in USC's blowout wins over San Jose State, Stanford and Nevada, completing 23 of 32 pass attempts for 309 yards and a touchdown. He has two additional rushing touchdowns to his name. Freshman Malachi Nelson will be on the sideline today as backup to Moss.

USC beyond the Holiday Bowl

After the Trojans lost their last regular-season game to UCLA on Nov. 18, there has been a shake-up in the team's coaching staff. Furthermore, the team has lost 17 players to the transfer portal. Even more are opting out of the Holiday Bowl ahead of the NFL draft, including former Heisman winner Caleb Williams.

Irrespective of what happens at the Bowl tonight, USC's march to the future has already started. The Trojans will finally compete in the Big Ten next season. One of the biggest questions is their quarterback situation. Should fans expect a tested quarterback to arrive through the portal, or will Moss retain the starting spot ahead of the 2024 season?

Fans can be assured of one thing: Riley has a Midas touch concerning quarterbacks, and Moss might be his next golden boy. But first, the Trojans must take care of business in the Holiday Bowl tonight.