Most USC football media coverage this week surrounds the Trojans' high school prospects at The Opening, the Nike showcase featuring 166 elite high school prospects -- five of whom have already committed to USC.

Some headlines, though, have already turned their attention to the storm that's about two months away, while others are reminiscing on the past by looking at the 99 best USC players by number. And though neither Tim Ryan nor Reggie Bush are around anymore to help the cause moving forward, the 2015 season is sneaking up quickly, and Conquest Chronicles discussed the possible downside to the high expectations swirling around 2015 Trojan football as it approaches. Mentions of a College Football Playoff berth have populated some of the hype, and a key point of discussion surrounding that is USC's schedule, which features the daunting nine-game marathon through a Pac-12 rife with parity.

USC is far from a proven commodity, but the finest steel must pass through the hottest fire. And after relatively easy nonconference games against Arkansas State and Idaho, the Trojans delve head-first into the flames. Their Pac-12 opener comes against Stanford, while a hot desert trip to Arizona State awaits on September 26. An October game against Washington (we'll call it the Sark Bowl) and a November contest at Colorado may look easier on paper, but USC's midseason stretch includes an interrupted string of tests at Notre Dame, versus Utah, at Cal, and versus Arizona. The Trojans' grand November finale features a trip to Autzen Stadium to face Oregon and UCLA's visit to the Coliseum.

USC's test will be daunting, especially considering the fact that no one is completely sure about just how strong this team will be. On the surface, there's experience at key positions (quarterback Cody Kessler, the entire offensive line) and explosiveness all over the field (Adoree' Jackson, JuJu Smith), but several questions elsewhere must be answered. In other words, the Trojans face a similar challenge to every other Pac-12 team: They must conquer uncertainty in the heat of a deep conference, one that creates a schedule full of tripwires.