Can't Wait For Saturday Recruit's decision to arrive early gives Trojans a lift

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Greetings from “Can’t Wait For Saturday,” your morning morsel of college football, courtesy of longtime Illini beat writer, AP Top 25 voter and Heisman state rep Bob Asmussen. He’ll give you his views each day on the game he loves.

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No way to know for sure how well defensive back R.J. Sermons will be playing when the Southern California football team visits Memorial Stadium on Sept. 27.

But had he stuck to the original plan, stayed at Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.) High this year and enrolled in 2026, he wouldn’t have been Illinois’ concern. He is now. Sermons, the son of a former Trojans running back, will be with the team in July.

The champion sprinter joins a defense that lost a handful of players in the secondary. If he lives up to expectations, Sermons could have an instant impact on D’Anton Lynn’s unit, which struggled during his first season.

Sermons is a high-level talent who picked the Trojans over Georgia, Notre Dame, Alabama and Oregon. That he wants to get a head-start on his career is a positive sign for the direction of Lincoln Riley’s program.

The Trojans are currently dominating future college recruiting, with the top-ranked class on the way in 2026. Even after Sermons’ decision to not wait.

I believe Southern Cal’s 7-6 finish in 2024 was a blip, not a cause for panic. Riley is an accomplished coach and the school with its strong tradition is an easy sell.

I keep felling Illinois fans to circle Oct. 11 when Ohio State visits Champaign-Urbana. But the meeting with the Trojans is just as important.

The last two games  for Illinois against Southern Cal have not gone well, with the Trojans scoring 104 points in a pair of blowout wins.

Keep an eye on Sermons early in the season and track how much he contributes.