The USC Trojans are preparing for a Holiday Bowl showdown against the Louisville Cardinals. USC will be missing plenty of players for the contest, but the biggest name they will not have in the game is their starting quarterback, Caleb Williams.
Why won’t the team have their signal caller for the bowl game? Let’s look at why Williams will not be playing in the game.
Why Won’t Caleb Williams Be Playing for USC?
It hasn’t been quite the season USC was hoping for, as the expectation was for the team to compete for a national title. The Trojans finished the season with a 7-5 record, losing five of their last six regular season games. While their defense struggled, it was Williams who kept them in games.
He finished the 2023 season with 3,633 yards and 30 touchdowns with just five interceptions. It wasn’t the same numbers he put up to win the Heisman Trophy just a year ago, but good enough to keep the Trojans in the hunt for a while.
MORE: 2023 CFB Bowl Game Opt-Out Tracker
With USC set to play in a game that would be considered not to the standard the Trojans would want, Williams decided to sit out for the game. He’s not injured, but he felt it would be the safest move to sit out of the game.
Williams has his sights set on something else: Potentially being the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
While he hasn’t officially declared for the NFL Draft, Williams appears to be on his way to the NFL after completing his junior year. Should he declare, he is expected to be the number one pick in the draft.
He could also be back in USC for one more year if he doesn’t feel comfortable declaring for the NFL Draft. Depending on which NFL team has the No. 1 pick, he could (although unlikely) return to school, so an announcement is yet to be made.
USC will be powering through the Holiday Bowl without Williams. The future for Williams will be decided soon, but for now, he will sit this game out and evaluate his football future.
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