Who will be the next head coach at USC? With Clay Helton out, the university is in search of a head coach that will elevate the program and restore its championship status.

On FOX’s “Big Noon Kickoff” on Saturday, FOX Sports college football insider Bruce Feldman brought up a pair of names he felt would “emerge as legit candidates” for the vacant post.

First, Feldman mentioned Penn State’s James Franklin. Franklin is in his 8th season at Penn State after a 24-15 mark in 3 seasons at Vanderbilt, with Feldman mentioning the amount of talent that resides in the Southern California area being a potential draw for a head coach who has proven to be one of the top recruiters in the country.

“He has a really good job, but there’s way more talent a 2-hour drive from USC than there is from Happy Valley,” Feldman said. “Also, there’s no Ohio State in the Pac-12 South.”

Feldman then mentioned Iowa State’s Matt Campbell, in his 6th season in Ames. Campbell led the Cyclones to a 9-3 record in 2020 — including an 8-1 mark in the Big 12 — as they appeared in the Big 12 Championship Game and later won the Fiesta Bowl en route to a No. 9 postseason ranking.

“But can he take Iowa State higher than it is right now? That’s the big question,” Feldman said. “(But) this guy has shown he can really develop players.”