Good morning! It’s a new era in Chicago, and USC’s Heisman-winning quarterback will be leading the charge.

What else can you find in today’s edition of The Three Torches?

🏈 Trojan trio named to Outland Trophy Preseason Watch List
🏅 Day five recap from the Paris Olympics
⚔️ And much, much more!

📈 STOCK UP

🔼 Watch Out. Trojan defensive tackle Bear Alexander and offensive linemen Jonah Monheim and Emmanuel Pregnon were named to the 2024 Outland Trophy Watch List, an annual award given to the best college football interior lineman, either on offense or defense. USC is tied for the second most representatives on the list with Alabama and Ohio State with 3. Only Georgia has more representatives with 4. USC and Ohio State's representatives make up almost half of the Big Ten Conference's 13 players selected spread among 8 league schools.

🔼 Day Five From Paris. It was a largely successful day in and on the water today for USC's continent competing on day five of Olympic action in Paris.

🤽 USC's program-record seven Trojans in the men's water polo field all emerged with wins with their respective nations today, with Team USA's Hannes Daube delivering his second straight hat trick in a key win for the United States.

🏖️ First-time Olympian Trojan Andy Benesh earned his first Olympic victory with a 2-0 win. He recorded 16 kills, three aces, two digs and a block in the match.

🏐 Trojan alum and three-time Olympian Micah Christenson helped the USA to a 3-2 win over Germany in its second match in Pool C. He tallied 39 assists along with three digs and a block in the victory to improve the Americans to 2-0 in Paris.

📚️ Read more about day five from the Paris Olympics

🔼 Don’t Poke The Bear. USC defensive tackle Bear Alexander was named to the 2024 Bronko Nagurski Watch List, an award presented annually to the top defensive player in college football. Alexander will once again be a force to be reckoned with in the trenches on the defensive line as a junior in 2024 after his placement on the Phil Steele 2024 Preseason All-American Fourth Team as well as the Phil Steele 2024 Preseason All-Big Ten Second Team and Athlon Sports 2024 Preseason All-Big Ten Second Team. 

Last season, he made an immediate impact by bolstering the Trojan defensive line. Alexander recorded 48 tackles, including 6.5 for loss (with 1.5 sacks) and led the team with four QB hurries, and two forced fumbles.

🔼 Player Spotlight. Heading into her second year as a Trojan, Parker Fry is looking to keep the momentum from her first year with USC women’s tennis. Last season, Fry led the team in doubles wins (30), had a career-best ITA Doubles ranked (No. 25) and surpassed 45 career doubles wins in her collegiate career.

Today’s Top Tier Performance presented by ARCO is Krzysztof Chmielewski who qualified for the Olympic 200m fly final after finishing in sixth with a time of 1:54.28. His Olympic time also lowered his school record!

🏈 COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF

32 days until kickoff, Trojan Family!

In his four-year career as a Trojan, quarterback Matt Barkley threw for 12,327 yards — the most of any quarterback in USC football history. From 2009-2012, Barkley threw for 116 touchdowns (1st all-time) and holds three of the top five single-game passing yard records.

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📅 LOOKING AHEAD

*All times Pacific

Saturday, August 10
⚽️ Soccer vs. Long Beach State @ TBD in Carson, CA

Friday, August 30
🏐 Volleyball vs. Pepperdine @ 6:00pm in Malibu, CA

Sunday, September 1
🏈 Football vs. LSU @ 4:30pm in Las Vegas, NV | Tickets

⚔️ Click here to view the full USC Trojan Athletics Calendar

⚔️ Have a great Wednesday, everyone!