Who will be USC's starting QB for Holiday Bowl? Exploring Trojans QB depth after Caleb Williams' departure to NFL

With reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams leading its offense, USC had high hopes ahead of the 2023 college football season. It started well for the Trojans as they accumulated an impressive run of wins, which placed them in the top 10 in the AP Poll.

However, awful performances in the second half of the season saw the Trojans lose five of their last six games in the regular season. While Williams was still doing a brilliant job in the offense, the team's defense was one of the worst in the nation and proved costly for them.

Following a disappointing season, Caleb Williams has opted out of the upcoming Holiday Bowl game against the Louisville Cardinals, according to head coach Lincoln Riley. Let's examine who will be the signal-caller in USC’s backfield when they square up against the Cardinals.

Who will be USC's starting QB in the Holiday Bowl?

With Caleb Williams not featuring in the Holiday Bowl, backup quarterback Miller Moss is expected to take the starting role against Louisville on December 27 at Petco Park in San Diego, California. The quarterback is set to get his first career start, three years after arriving at the program.

Moss is already relishing the opportunity and is working hard to ensure he delivers his best performance in the game, irrespective of what comes next. The quarterback has appeared in four games for USC this season, throwing for 309 yards and one touchdown.

“I’ve worked my whole life for this,” Moss said (via Annenberg Media). “Whatever comes after that, I’ll work my whole life for that. So I’m just excited. I’m excited to step into this role and very confident in our team.”

Miller Moss already has a good knowledge of what to expect against Louisville in the Holiday Bowl. The team had a brilliant regular season, which saw them reach the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship game. The Cardinals finished No. 16 in the AP Poll and No. 15 in the College Football Playoff ranking.

“They’re a really good, solid team, [and] obviously they had success this year. They’re good up front, they’re good in the secondary, so I’m excited to play against a good opponent.”

Despite spending his career at USC mostly in the shadows, the quarterback has notably earned the respect of his teammates. Many of them have shown their excitement on social media about Miller Moss finally getting the deserved chance after years of hard work.

Notably, USC also boasts five-star freshman Malachi Nelson in its quarterback room. However, Lincoln Riley had noted that Nelson faced some physical hurdles during the regular season, which could rule him out of contention.