College Football

For USC, Colorado is a test. We just don't know how big

Updated Sep. 27, 2023 3:29 p.m. ET

A major test is coming for USC and its star quarterback Caleb Williams, a bona fide, genuine, mettle-stretching examination of the Heisman Trophy candidate and his No. 8-ranked program.

The weird part? Whatever the results of the test, we're not going to know how to accurately interpret them, at least not fully.

That's because the trial by fire comes against Colorado, Deion Sanders' hyped-up whirlwind of fireworks and dramatics, where quasi-reality and unceasing hyperbole make for uneasy and hugely entertaining bedfellows.

If Williams and his Trojans can march into Boulder on Saturday (noon ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app, with coverage beginning at 10 a.m. ET) and depart that evening with a victory, it will say much about their ability to handle the attention and noise, even if it doesn't reveal a whole lot about their true potential as a football team.

Just as we don't know for sure if USC is the real deal behind the electric arm and smooth feet of Williams, neither do we know what to make of Sanders' Buffaloes, still unknown in so many ways.

Is Coach Prime's crew as bad as it looked in getting thumped 42-6 by Oregon last week? Almost certainly not. Are they as good as the hoopla demanded and the evidence suggested in the thrilling 3-0 start to the season? Also, probably not.

[Deion Sanders faces his greatest coaching challenge yet at Colorado]

Regardless of whether Lincoln Riley's USC receives full credit for it, it is vital that things progress as planned this weekend for the Trojans, if the early season excitement is to turn into something more meaningful, such as a shot at the College Football Playoff.

USC, in the last season of the Pac-12 as we know it, has rarely been more intriguing in recent times, largely due to Williams, whose ability has him situated as one of the leading candidates to be the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Being able to cope with the biggest of occasions, the spotlight, the intensity of the focus, the scrutiny, everything, that's all part of staying resolute through the process. And there's no question that this season, nothing feels bigger than a game against Colorado, whatever the Buffaloes' last result.

News conference: Deion Sanders provides updates during USC week and responds to haters after loss

Furthering the mystique is whether Williams will actually jump for the NFL after his junior season, as expected, or pull off what would instantly be a plot twist of incredible gall.

Yes, really. It is possible that Williams opts for another year of college, at least according to his father, Carl Williams, and make no mistake, the goalposts on such things have shifted markedly now.

High prospects have semi-bluffed at returning to school in the past, but it has rarely shaken out that way, with the pro money on offer proving way too tempting to rebuff.

Now, however, Williams wouldn't be saying no to an NFL contract and swapping it out for free classes and a college meal card. He makes millions of dollars already from endorsements. A mightily tempting package could be on offer were he to remain an extra year at USC.

The primary reason for doing so would be to avoid an unfavorable NFL landing spot.

"He's got two shots at the apple," Carl Williams told GQ. "So if there's not a good situation, the truth is, he can come back to school."

Carl Williams spoke to Archie Manning, patriarch of football's ultimate signal-calling dynasty, who has always felt his career was drastically squeezed because he got picked by the then-miserable New Orleans Saints with the No. 2 pick in 1971. Manning's youngest son, Eli, famously spurned the Chargers on draft day in 2004, forcing a trade to the Giants.

Riley isn't shy about discussing Kyler Murray and how the former No. 1 pick is mired in a poor spot, with his Arizona Cardinals among the favorites to finish with the worst record and another No. 1 selection, even after upsetting the Dallas Cowboys last weekend.

[Travis Hunter lobbies Deion Sanders to play vs. USC: 'Not taking no for an answer']

Williams is averaging 292.7 passing yards and has thrown for 15 touchdowns so far, although USC was not entirely convincing in seeing off Arizona State last weekend and dropped in the rankings because of it.

USC drops 3 spots in AP Top 25, RJ's thought on the ranking, the Trojan defense & more

Following his father's GQ interview, Williams isn't biting on questions about what's next.

"I've got eight games," he told reporters. "Those are the eight guaranteed that I have and then we are working on the next three. We got a tough opponent first, in Colorado."

Whether Williams is on the clock or not, USC definitely is. This season marks the opportunity to capitalize on Williams' special skill set and show categorically that things are trending in the right direction under Riley, before the entire landscape of USC sports changes with a move to the Big Ten.

Some big challenges await, and a big opportunity. Time to prove it this Saturday, in the biggest, brightest, noisiest test so far.

Martin Rogers is a columnist for FOX Sports and the author of the FOX Sports Insider newsletter. Follow him on Twitter @MRogersFOX and subscribe to the daily newsletter.