Lincoln Riley enters the 2026 season with USC carrying real playoff expectations, and the Trojans have plenty working in their favor. They bring back key players on both sides of the ball, add a new defensive coordinator, and welcome the No. 1-ranked 2026 recruiting class to Los Angeles.
In a Big Ten that figures to be unforgiving, the setup is there. The question is whether USC finally turns that promise into a breakthrough and reaches the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history.
That path includes a handful of games the Trojans cannot treat lightly. Even with a non-conference slate that is expected to be manageable, the schedule turns quickly once Big Ten play begins, and USC opens conference action on the road for the third straight season. This time, the Trojans head to Piscataway to face Rutgers.
Rutgers finished 5-7 last season and lost all seven of its conference games, but the Scarlet Knights still have a weapon that can stress USC early. Wide receiver KJ Duff is coming off a season in which he was the third-leading receiver in the Big Ten, piling up 60 catches for 1,084 yards and seven touchdowns. For USC’s secondary, that is the first major test of the year, and the way the Trojans handle it could help shape the tone of their season.
Another game that demands attention comes against Washington, a team USC will see for the first time since the 2024 season. The last meeting went the Huskies’ way, with USC falling 26-21 in Seattle, so there will be some revenge on the Trojans’ side when the matchup shifts to the Coliseum. But Washington, now led by coach Jedd Fisch, is not a soft landing spot.
The biggest reason is quarterback Demond Williams Jr., who is back after throwing for 3,065 yards, 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions last season. He gives Washington a real chance to test USC’s secondary, and the timing makes the game even trickier. It comes one week after USC’s early-season showdown with Oregon at the Coliseum, which means the Huskies could catch the Trojans in either a revenge spot or a trap spot depending on how much emotion gets spent the week before.
USC also has a trip to Madison that could get uncomfortable fast. Wisconsin stayed with Luke Fickell after a 4-8 season in 2025, a year in which the Badgers’ two Big Ten wins came at Camp Randall Stadium against Illinois and Washington, both top-25 teams. That record does not reflect the standard Wisconsin fans are used to, but Camp Randall still carries the kind of edge that can rattle visiting teams.
Then comes the Crosstown Rivalry, and this year’s edition has the feel of something that could turn quickly. UCLA enters its first season under Bob Chesney with starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava back, and the Bruins have the look of a team that could be more dangerous than people expect in the Big Ten. Last season at the Coliseum, UCLA pushed USC by leading at halftime before the Trojans pulled away for a 29-10 win and kept the Victory Bell for a second straight year.
Now the setting shifts to the Rose Bowl, and with better coaching in place, the Bruins have a chance to make things interesting in a hurry. For USC, it is another game that cannot be brushed aside.
In Other News...
UCLA May Have Found The Lineman This Rebuild Desperately Needed
Bob Chesney has wasted little time reshaping UCLAs roster, bringing in 42 transfers for the 2026 season as he tries to stabilize a program that badly needs help in the trenches. Among the additions, Eugene Brooks stands out as the sort of offensive lineman this rebuild has been waiting for, a former blue-chip recruit whose talent profile has long suggested he could become a difference-maker up front.
Brooks arrives with plenty of pedigree after being one of the most coveted offensive guards in his class, and his path to this point has been about finding the right fit and the right opportunity. For UCLA, the appeal is obvious: a young blocker with size, upside and the kind of resume that makes him a natural candidate to anchor a line that needs more reliability, even if the full impact of his arrival will only become clear once the pads come on. [Read more 🡒]