USC couldn't have a bigger opening weekend spotlight than it will Sunday in Las Vegas, as the No. 23-ranked Trojans take on No. 13 LSU at Allegiant Stadium as the only game on the college football slate that day.

All eyes will be on the Trojans and Tigers, and one way or the other, the narratives for each team are sure to shift dramatically based on the outcome.

Lincoln Riley knows this.

"Everybody, no matter what happens Sunday, every single year, everybody wants to write the narrative of, well, what happens Game 1, this is what the whole season is going to be like on all accounts, and it’s not going to be that way," he said.

Fair enough. But ... that won't stop anybody from overreacting one way or the other.

That's the fun of college football, after all.

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USC's rebuilt defense under D'Anton Lynn is either going to open eyes and elevate expectations for what this team can do, or ... fans will be bemoaning that the Trojans didn't do more to buffer the defensive line and picking apart the shortcomings and recruiting misses.

QB Miller Moss might vault himself into early Heisman Trophy conversations if he plays like he did in the Holiday Bowl, or ... remind everybody that USC is replacing a generational talent at quarterback who put the program on his back the last two years.

Like Riley said, likely the truth will rest somewhere in the middle regardless of what happens Sunday, but it sure is a lot more interesting than spending eight months waiting for San Jose State.

"These games are fun. I’ve been in a couple of these big ones [early in the season], and they’re great because you look forward to it all offseason. It’s a great way to start the season. So no, I think it’s a positive," Riley said. "First games, there’s always a sense of new and excitement and you’re kind of waiting to see who you were and who your opponent really is. You always feel that. I like it. I like playing a marquee game early. I like playing a good opponent early. I think there are a ton of positives, and like I said, there’s been a momentum and an excitement about this that’s been building a long time."

Indeed. And to carry you through the final day and hours of waiting for kickoff, our TrojanSports.com team presents our first staff roundtable debate, covering all the relevant storylines for Sunday and beyond as we try to predict the who, what and how for these Trojans in 2024.

What is your expectation for Miller Moss this season and in this opener?

Ryan Young: As I said on the podcast this week, I have zero doubts about Moss' arm, his accuracy, his command of the offense, his ability to run it how Lincoln Riley envisions, the confidence his teammates have in him -- I believe in all of that. What I'm a little uneasy about is this rebuilt offensive line with left tackle Elijah Paige making his second career start Sunday, ditto for Alani Noa at right guard and with Mason Murphy still with plenty to prove at right tackle as a redshirt junior. While the notion that Moss will keep the offense on schedule and freelance less than his Heisman-winning predecessor could be sold as a positive, let's not forget that the Caleb Williams scramble drill was often the only thing keeping the Trojans afloat last season. Moss isn't going to be able to buy an extra 8 seconds and create something from nothing -- at least not as often as Williams did. So to me, a lot of his upside hinges on the protection up front. I do think we'll see more two-tight-end sets with Lake McRee and blocking specialist Kade Eldridge out there together to help with that protection.

All of that said, I'm a believer in Moss. I think he's plenty capable of having a top-20, top-15 national QB season, and there's no reason that can't start Sunday. Let's not forget, LSU was almost as bad defensively last season as USC.

Tajwar Khandaker: Moss' ability to make decisions, both accurately and on-time, is the key to his successful execution of Lincoln Riley’s offense. What we’ve seen of his game so far indicates that particular ability is perhaps Moss’ greatest strength. Given Riley’s aptitude for manipulating defenses with his playcalling, I’m inclined to think Moss’ skill set will allow for a decisive, quick-moving offense that hums along on schedule with reliability. Though the Trojans’ new starter may not have all-world arm talent, he should be plenty capable of picking defenses apart within 30 yards with his plethora of dynamic receiving talent. I think Moss might be due for a rough game here or there when circumstances place him in a hole and he’s forced to push too far, but I expect a highly productive season from him, pushing a borderline Heisman run. My guess right now is that he’ll finish the season looking like he’s somewhere between the 5th and 10th best passer in the country.

In Sunday’s opener, I think Moss should be due for quite the productive outing. Although improved and under new direction, this LSU defense is not all that different personnel-wise from last year’s putrid version. The secondary in particular should be a vulnerability, and Riley is sure to scheme up opportunities for Miller to take advantage. This defense is unlikely to be better than the Louisville defense he tore up in his first start as a Trojan, so I don’t expect him to have all that much trouble producing.

Jeff McCulloch: I am a big believer in Miller Moss and think he should definitely get more national hype. Once Caleb Williams was done at USC, it seemed like Moss took over as leader fairly quick and the team all bought in. While we only have the record-breaking bowl game performance to get any read on how good he is going to be, Lincoln Riley had the opportunity to bring in a proven veteran quarterback and chose not to. Riley has enough belief in Moss that he can be that guy, and I believe Riley is the guy to get the best out of players that buy in. USC passing on a Will Howard-like transfer is going to turn out being the right move as I already think Moss is better than Howard. He can throw on the run and has a decently strong arm. The X-factor for Moss this season is the incredible connection he has with the four sophomore receivers on this team as they were all second-team last year (besides Zachariah Branch). I expect Moss to be one of the best quarterbacks in the league and even be in consideration for the Heisman. If Lincoln Riley believes in him, why shouldn’t we?

What's the biggest question/concern you have about this team entering Sunday?

Tajwar: Is the defensive line actually up to snuff when it comes to facing the nation’s better offensive fronts? There’s plenty of talent there now for the Trojans, but little of it proven to work together. There’s a wide range of outcomes for how good that unit might be, and where the answer falls will do much to dictate how the season goes for this team. It’ll probably be the hinge upon which Sunday’s game is won or lost as well, considering that LSU’s offensive line will probably be the best unit on the field that day. An inability to create penetration and disruption might allow the Tigers to pull away easily.