USC eager for Cotton Bowl test against Ohio State

LOS ANGELES — Among USC’s players, little suspense surrounded the unveiling of the final College Football Playoff rankings last week.
The selection committee had placed the Trojans at No. 8, well short of the top-four berth needed to make the semifinals. It was a clear tell.
“They weren’t really considering us, if we wanna be honest,” safety Chris Hawkins said. “I don’t know how they weren’t, but they weren’t.”
It ultimately felt like a