USC’s Alamo Bowl Is About More Than the Score - It’s About the Future
When No. 16 USC takes the field against TCU in the Alamo Bowl, it won’t be with the full firepower that had them flirting with the College Football Playoff just a few weeks ago.
Several key Trojans have opted out, including their top three pass-catchers, and the postseason spotlight won’t shine quite as bright without them. But make no mistake - this game still matters.
Maybe not for the rankings or the playoff picture, but for what it could mean next fall.
Head coach Lincoln Riley made that clear. For him, the real value of bowl season isn’t just the game itself - it’s the practices leading up to it.
It’s the reps for the young guys. The chance to get a look at the next wave of Trojan talent in a live setting.
“I think in some instances there'll be some guys that get some burn in this game that maybe haven't played at all or very, very little,” Riley said earlier this month. “The bowl game is great, and they're great experiences.
But if you said, ‘What’s the most valuable part of all of this?’ It’s days like this where we’re just pouring reps into all of these guys.”
That shift in focus is especially evident in USC’s receiving corps. With Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane opting out to prep for the NFL Draft and tight end Lake McRee not expected to play, the Trojans are missing over 2,300 yards and 19 touchdowns of production. That’s a big hole to fill - and a big opportunity for someone like freshman Tanook Hines.
Hines, a Texas native, has already shown flashes this season with 28 catches for 398 yards and two touchdowns. Now, playing in his home state, he steps into the spotlight with a chance to be the guy. And he’s got the trust of quarterback Jayden Maiava, who’s thrown for over 3,400 yards and 23 touchdowns this season.
“Remarkable player,” Maiava said of Hines. “Sky’s the limit for him. Super excited, and he knows I trust him out there.”
That kind of chemistry will be key for a USC team that, despite a 9-3 record and four wins in its last five games, saw its playoff hopes dashed with a 42-27 loss at Oregon in late November. The Alamo Bowl may not be where the Trojans envisioned ending their season, but it’s a chance to build something for the next one.
Across the field, TCU comes in with its own storyline. The Horned Frogs are 8-4 and playing in their home state, with a bit of Alamo Bowl history on their side - they’ve won it twice before. Head coach Sonny Dykes has led TCU to its third eight-win season in four years, and he’s made it clear: this game matters, no matter what the stakes are.
“We have a tremendous culture,” Dykes said. “And again, I think it revealed itself at the end of the year, in the fact that our guys played so hard down the stretch and it meant something to them.”
TCU closed the regular season with back-to-back wins over ranked Houston and Cincinnati, but they’ll be without starting quarterback Josh Hoover, who entered the transfer portal. Stepping in is Ken Seals, a former Vanderbilt starter who’s spent the last two seasons as TCU’s backup. Now, he gets the ball in a big moment.
“Ken started 22 games in the SEC,” Dykes said. “He’s been a great teammate, a great practice player.
Now he’s going to get a chance to go perform on the big stage. He’s excited about it, our team believes in him, and we’re moving on quickly.”
The Horned Frogs have kept their opt-outs to a minimum, and safety Jamel Johnson - who racked up 89 tackles and four interceptions this season - echoed Riley’s sentiment about the deeper value of bowl season.
“It feeds into next year,” Johnson said. “We want to leave this place better than how we found it.
It was us coming together one more time. It’s just a blessing and something we wanted to do.”
So while the Alamo Bowl won’t decide any championships, it will shape the future. For USC, it’s a glimpse of what’s next.
For TCU, it’s a statement of culture and continuity. And for the players taking the field - especially the ones stepping into bigger roles - it’s a chance to show they’re ready for the spotlight.