It’s a marquee game in Vegas when the USC Trojans take on the Texas A&M Aggies in the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl. However, thanks to the transfer portal and opt-outs, its fair to question whether either team will be at full strength.
Top USC Players Not Playing in Las Vegas Bowl
Thanks to the CFN Bowl Game Opt-Out Tracker, we know which players from the Trojans won’t be in action in the Las Vegas Bowl.
- Miller Moss, QB (transfer portal)
- Jake Jensen, QB (transfer portal)
- Quinten Joyner, RB (transfer portal)
- Zachariah Branch, WR (transfer portal)
- Duce Robinson, WR (transfer portal)
- Kyron Hudson, WR (transfer portal)
- Kade Eldridge, TE (transfer portal)
- Kalolo Ta’aga, OT (transfer portal)
- Mason Murphy, OT (transfer portal)
- Gino Quinones, iOL (transfer portal)
- Amos Talalele, iOL (transfer portal)
- Bear Alexander, DL (transfer portal)
- Elijah Hughes, DL (transfer portal)
- DJ Peevy, EDGE (transfer portal)
- Sam Greene, EDGE (transfer portal)
- Raesjon Davis, LB (transfer portal)
- Zion Branch, S (transfer portal)
- Denis Lynch, K (transfer portal)
The biggest loss for the Trojans is certainly headlined by their QB Moss. However, the program had already turned the keys over to Jayden Maiava, which led to a slight resurgence to close out the season. The move essentially pushed Moss to the portal and has now put them in better hands for what they want to do offensively.
Branch, Hudson, and Robinson, however, as well as Joyner at running back are the biggest losses. Branch was first on the team with 47 receptions while Robinson’s five touchdowns were good enough for second. Joyner recorded the second-most rushing yards on the team with 478 and Hudson was third on the team in every major receiving cateogyr.
This leaves USC with just Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane at wide receiver with major production while Woody Marks at RB will now be heavily leaned upon. Murphy, missing from right tackle may be a soft spot in the run game, though.
On a positive note, however, the USC defense should be relatively intact as only Greene recorded more than three tackles among those players who will be missing in action.
Top Texas A&M Players Not Playing in Las Vegas Bowl
Similarly, thanks to CFN’s Bowl Game Opt-Out Tracker, the Aggies expected to miss the game are easy to find:
- Jaylen Henderson, QB (transfer portal)
- Conner Weigman, QB (transfer portal)
- Cyrus Allen, WR (transfer portal)
- Jacob Bostick, WR (transfer portal)
- Micah Tease, WR (transfer portal)
- Jaden Platt, TE (transfer portal)
- Aki Ogunbiyi, OT (transfer portal)
- Hunter Erb, OT (transfer portal)
- TJ Shanahan, iOL (transfer portal)
- Kam Dewberry, iOL (transfer portal)
- Nic Scouton, EDGE (NFL Draft)
- Malick Sylla, EDGE (transfer portal)
- Enai White, EDGE (transfer portal)
- Josh Celiscar, EDGE (transfer portal)
- Samu Taumanupepe, DL (transfer portal)
- Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy, DL (transfer portal)
- Martrell Harris, LB (transfer portal)
- Chantz Johnson, LB (transfer portal)
- Donovan Saunders, CB (transfer portal)
- Kevin Longstreet, CB (transfer portal)
- Keegan Andrews, P (transfer portal)
The show is Marcel Reed’s at quarterback for the Aggies as both Henderson and Weigman have left the program. That was a foregone conclusion, however, before bowl season even began so the real biggest losses happen to come in the form of Allen and the guard duo of Shanahan and Dewberry.
But for Texas A&M, the biggest loss in this one is the opt-out of likely first-round pick Scourton. And while his loss is massive (led the team in sacks, pressures, hits), the Aggies only lost one defensive starter for this one.
College Football Network has you covered with the latest from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, and every Group of Five conference and FBS Independent program.