College football’s Week 0 slate is short on volume but loaded with names worth watching, and a few players outside the usual spotlight have a real chance to make noise right away.
North Carolina, USC and TCU all have pieces in place that could turn into early national talking points, while Hawaii brings one of the most productive passers in the group. With only eight games on the opening weekend schedule, the stage is small - but for a handful of players, it’s a chance to break through fast.
Demon June is one of the more memorable names in the sport, and the North Carolina running back could also become one of the more important ones in 2026. He handled just 84 rushing attempts last season, but that workload is expected to jump this year. Bill Belichick’s offense could lean on June heavily, beginning with the TCU matchup in Dublin, Ireland.
Micah Alejado already has production to back up the hype. In 2025, the Hawaii sophomore threw 24 touchdown passes and piled up over 3,100 yards, becoming a key part of Timmy Chang’s offense. Hawaii went 9-4 in the Mountain West last season, and Alejado’s continued growth gives the program a chance to stay in the national conversation through its air-raid approach.
At USC, Mark Bowman arrives with the kind of profile that tends to turn heads quickly. The five-star tight end is described as an athletic freak, and at 6-feet 5-inches, he gives the Trojans a big target for Maiava. USC also lost pro players Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane in the 2026 NFL Draft, which opens the door even wider for Bowman to make an impact early in his college career.
Jaden Craig’s move from Harvard to TCU is a major leap, but the New Jersey native brings a strong resume with him. He threw 25 touchdown passes last season and now joins a Horned Frogs offense that already has plenty of skill-position talent. TCU will be without wideout Jordan Dwyer, but the buzz around Craig remains very much alive.
In Other News...
USCs Ticket Surprise Raises An Uncomfortable Question About Fan Interest
USCs season opener against San Jos State came with an eye-opening wrinkle before a snap was even played: tickets on reseller sites had fallen to as low as $9. For a program with the Trojans history and expectations, that kind of bargain-basement pricing says as much about the market as it does about the matchup, with opponent profile, weather and the typical churn of late buyer behavior all shaping what fans are willing to pay.
The Coliseums new fan experience upgrades are part of the backdrop too, as USC continues trying to make home games feel like an event even when the opponent does not create much natural urgency. The more revealing test may come later, when ranked teams arrive and national attention can push prices in the other direction, offering a clearer read on how much demand is driven by the opponent, the moment and the broader pull of the Trojans brand. [Read more 🡒]
USC Receiver Room Suddenly Carries One Huge Opener Concern
USCs first depth chart of the season offered an early look at how the receiver room is taking shape after the departures of Makai Lemon and JaKobi Lane to the NFL. Freshmen Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and Trent Mosley were listed as starters, with sophomores Corey Simms and Tanook Hines also penciled in up front, while freshmen Boobie Feaster and Tron Baker showed up as backups. It is a young group, but one with plenty of opportunity to establish itself quickly if the Trojans want the passing game to keep moving smoothly into the new season.
The bigger question now is how much stability USC will have when the opener arrives. Junior Terrell Anderson has been out of fall camp because of an injury, and his availability remains uncertain, which matters because the room is already leaning heavily on first- and second-year players. For a team replacing proven production at receiver, that leaves the Trojans waiting to see whether the depth chart is the full picture or just the first draft of it. [Read more 🡒]
USCs New Look Offense Faces Its First Real Test Right Away
USC heads into 2026 with the kind of buzz that follows a 9-4 season, and Lincoln Riley is entering his fifth year knowing the opener will tell him plenty about how far this group has come. The Trojans have a familiar centerpiece in redshirt senior quarterback Jayden Maiava, who passed on the NFL Draft to come back for one more season, and theyll need his steadiness to help a young receiving corps settle in after key departures to the pros.
There is still real intrigue around the rest of the offense, especially with sophomore running back King Miller back after a breakout year. For Riley, the first game is about more than a clean start, since it doubles as the first chance to see whether this rebuilt unit can match the expectations that come with wearing USC colors. [Read more 🡒]