Ex-USC Star Keith Rivers -- It's All Good Snoop Dogg ... Trojans Will Take You Back

Snoop Dogg has a clear path to go back to USC -- the team he's cheered for all his life -- because a former Trojan superstar is ready to forgive and forget the whole UCLA mess with Snoop's son.

Linebacker Keith Rivers says he understands why Snoop had to root for the blue and gold when Cordell Broadus committed to the Bruins, but now that he's quit ... he says it's time for the Dogg to come home.

Rivers -- a 1st round draft pick with the Bengals in 2008 -- says there is a family exception in the heated rivalry. He says, "Snoop HAD to dump out his USC gear and jump on the bandwagon to support his son. All the Instagrams & stuff like that was out of support, you’re supposed to do that for your kid."

So, come September at the Coliseum -- "I think everyone should and will accept him back into the family.”