Matt Zemek
 |  Trojans Wire

USC baseball has reason to think it can make the College World Series sooner rather than later. USA TODAY Sports columnist Dan Wolken offers perspective on this topic which reaches far beyond the Trojans themselves:

“But in a world where it increasingly feels like the new financial realities of the Big Ten and SEC are driving a land grab for postseason bids, starting with the College Football Playoff but undoubtedly trickling down to every sport in the future, this year’s College World Series shows why some traditions are worth preserving. The eight teams that advanced to Omaha over the last few days represent seven different conferences:

The SEC (LSU and Arkansas)The Big 12 (Arizona)The ACC (Louisville)The Big Ten (UCLA)The Sun Belt (Coastal Carolina)The Missouri Valley (Murray State)The Pac-12 (Kind of. Oregon State played as an independent this season but was crucial in the effort to resurrect a new Pac-12, which will begin play in the 2026-27 academic year.)

“Is such a huge conference spread a bit of an anomaly? Absolutely. In recent renditions of the CWS, you’ll see a whole lot of SEC and ACC representation, some strong Big 12 and Pac-12 programs (before it imploded) and your occasional interloper from outside the power conferences. 

“But this year’s field underscores a very simple point that the SEC and Big Ten would be wise to remember as they go about the business of remaking college sports: At the end of the day, competition is what this is all about. And even if that means you come up on the short end some years, it’s nothing to be afraid of. That’s just sports.”

USC is technically in the Big Ten, but it was very recently in the Pac-12, not part of the power elite in college sports. USC used to be an elite program in college baseball but is not a superpower right now. All the parity in college baseball reinforces the idea that USC can make a run. It’s competition. Everyone has a chance.

Including the Trojans.