Good morning! This season, USC Football wants to honor the everyday heroes. Nominate someone who has made a significant and lasting impression on the Los Angeles community, and the Trojans will recognize them at The Coliseum on game day.

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

🏈 Closing out camp and ready for Week 1
🏐 Women of Troy set for season opener
⚔️ And much, much more!

📈 STOCK UP

🔼 Only Us. This week on Only USC — A Season Through the Eyez of the Trojans, the brotherhood is strengthened as the team closes out fall camp and prepares for game one against LSU. Hear directly from Kyron Hudson, Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, Akili Arnold and more on their thoughts ahead of the season opener.

The No. 23-ranked Trojans begin the 2024 season with an electric start as the Trojans challenge the LSU Tigers in the Vegas Kickoff Classic on Sunday, Sept. 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The game, featuring two powerhouse programs, will be shown live nationally on ABC.

🎥 Watch the latest Quick Hits with Keely Eure

🔼 Let’s Hit It. The 21st-ranked USC women's volleyball squad opens the 2024 season with a pair of matches at Pepperdine this weekend in Malibu, Calif. The Women of Troy — new members of the Big Ten Conference — are coming off a second consecutive NCAA tournament appearance under fifth-year head coach Brad Keller and return Preseason All-Big Ten setter Mia Tuaniga. 

🔼 Keep It Rolling. USC soccer will look to remain undefeated this weekend as the Women of Troy get set to take on Portland on Saturday. The matchup will be the sixth time the two programs have met; the last of which came during the 2012 season. Maile Hayes, who transferred from Texas A&M this offseason, leads USC with 5 points, scoring 2 goals and posting 1 assist.

🔼 Ready To Run. Trojan women's cross country, under the direction of its new coach Milton Mallard, will open up the 2024 season at the Waves Invitational in Malibu, Calif. at 5:15 p.m. today. The revamped USC roster features a blend of returning runners and transfers who will don the Cardinal & Gold for the first time this season on Friday.  It will be a quick turnaround for the associate head coach of cross country Mallard, who was officially hired this week.

🔼 Returning To The Sidelines. Fan favorite and recent USC graduate India Otto was added to head coach Lindsay Gottlieb’s support staff ahead of the 2024-25 season as the coordinator of player engagement. Otto played five seasons at USC, earning her undergraduate degree in journalism and a master's in studies in law. A regular on academic honor rolls, Otto shined as a 3-point threat on the floor and a constant source of knowledge and enthusiasm for her teammates.

🗣️ "I am so excited to be joining the staff this season and this opportunity to apply the valuable skills I've learned while being a student-athlete here at USC. I'm looking forward to helping mentor, support and guide the team on the court, in their academics and on campus.” - India Otto

Today’s Top Tier Performance presented by ARCO goes to Ezra Frech and Cindy Ouellet. Both USC-affiliated athletes are competing at the 2024 Paris Paralympics with Frech racing and jumping in track and field for Team USA and Ouellet playing for Team Canada in wheelchair basketball.

Today’s trivia question is brought to you by Smart & Final. With more than 3,000 club-sized items and an assortment of quality, value-priced products, including farm-fresh produce, dairy, deli, meat and seafood, as well as grocery and household essentials. Smart & Final has your every need covered — all without a membership fee!

Ready For The Spotlight. Sunday is usually reserved for the pros, but this weekend, the Trojans will play in a stand-alone, nationally televised game against SEC foe, LSU on Sunday evening.

Our question today: how many times has Trojan Football played on a Sunday?

Think you got it? Scroll down to the bottom of this email for the answer!

🏈 COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF

2 days until kickoff, Trojan Family!

The eyes of college football fans across the nation will be on the Trojans this Sunday when USC heads to Las Vegas to face off against the LSU Tigers in a primetime matchup inside Allegiant Stadium. USC last faced off against LSU in 1984 and currently split the series 1-1. The Trojans’ record in all season openers is 98-24-8 (.785), with 36 shutout victories, while their record in season openers on the road is 28-8-1 (.770).

🗣️ SPREAD THE WORD

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📅 THE WEEKEND AHEAD

Friday, August 30
🏃 Cross Country @ Pepperdine Waves Invitational in Malibu, CA
🏐 Volleyball vs. Pepperdine @ 6:00pm in Malibu, CA | ESPN+

Saturday, August 31
⚽️ Soccer vs. Portland @ 4:00pm in Portland, OR | ESPN+
🏐 Volleyball vs. Pepperdine @ 6:00pm in Malibu, CA | ESPN+

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

⚔️Click here to view the full USC Trojan Athletics Calendar

🎉 TRIVIA ANSWER

Answer: Five times!

USC has played on Sunday just five times in program history with the most recent being in 2020 against Washington where the Trojans bested the Huskies 38-13.

⚔️ Have a great weekend, everyone!