The USC Trojans What If table presents playoff probabilities depended upon how USC plays future conference games. These games include either the next game, all remaining games, or a set of games called Best/Worst Case Scenarios. Other unplayed future conference games are assumed won/lost with a probability based upon relative team strengths.
| Resultant Record | Regular Season Finish | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | 1* Conference Championship Game Participant |
2* Conference Championship Game Participant |
3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | |
| Win Next Game | 4 | 1 | 1% | 7% | 20% | 15% | 13% | 11% | 9% | 7% | 6% | 5% | 3% | 2% | 1% | <1% | <1% | <1% | <1% | ^ |
| Current Standings | 3 | 1 | 1% | 4% | 14% | 11% | 10% | 10% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 8% | 6% | 5% | 3% | 1% | <1% | <1% | <1% | <1% |
| Lose Next Game | 3 | 2 | <1% | 1% | 8% | 8% | 9% | 10% | 11% | 10% | 11% | 11% | 9% | 7% | 4% | 1% | <1% | <1% | <1% | <1% |
| Regular Season Finish | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1* Conference Championship Game Participant |
2* Conference Championship Game Participant |
3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | |
| Best Case Scenario | 2% | 12% | 18% | 15% | 12% | 10% | 8% | 7% | 6% | 4% | 3% | 2% | 1% | <1% | <1% | <1% | <1% | ^ |
| Current Standings | 1% | 4% | 14% | 11% | 10% | 10% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 8% | 6% | 5% | 3% | 1% | <1% | <1% | <1% | <1% |
| Worst Case Scenario | <1% | 1% | 8% | 7% | 9% | 11% | 11% | 10% | 11% | 10% | 9% | 7% | 4% | 1% | <1% | <1% | <1% | <1% |
|
Best Case Scenario Penn St. beats Ohio St. USC beats Nebraska |
Worst Case Scenario Ohio St. beats Penn St. Nebraska beats USC |
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| Remaining Games Won |
Winning Percentage of Remaining Games |
Resultant Record | Regular Season Finish | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | 1* Conference Championship Game Participant |
2* Conference Championship Game Participant |
3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | ||
| 5 of 5 | 100% | 8 | 1 | 5% | 34% | 58% | 3% | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ |
| 4 of 5 | 80% | 7 | 2 | <1% | 5% | 44% | 34% | 13% | 3% | <1% | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ |
| 3 of 5 | 60% | 6 | 3 | <1% | <1% | 1% | 10% | 26% | 30% | 21% | 10% | 2% | <1% | <1% | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ |
| 2 of 5 | 40% | 5 | 4 | <1% | <1% | <1% | <1% | <1% | 2% | 10% | 23% | 29% | 25% | 9% | 1% | <1% | <1% | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ |
| 1 of 5 | 20% | 4 | 5 | X | X | X | X | X | <1% | <1% | <1% | 3% | 13% | 31% | 40% | 12% | 1% | <1% | <1% | <1% | ^ |
| 0 of 5 | 0% | 3 | 6 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | <1% | <1% | 2% | 30% | 47% | 19% | 2% | <1% | <1% | <1% |