USC and Utah may have moved on from the Pac-12, but Lincoln Riley and Kyle Whittingham are still linked in the same conference race this season - at least in the way people are sizing up the 2026 Big Ten football standings. And according to USA TODAY Sports, the early lean is toward Michigan, not USC.
The Wolverines landed at No. 16 in the outlet’s ranking, but the writeup came with a warning label. USA TODAY Sports called Michigan overrated, pointing to a long list of concerns around the program.
“The Wolverines have been decimated by scandal since ... the entire 2020s. They also return 10 starters but only three on defense; Wink Martindale's group hardly was Sherrone Moore's problem the past couple years in Ann Arbor. Factor in a schedule that includes road tilts Minnesota, Oregon and Ohio State, plus home games against Oklahoma, Iowa, Penn State and defending national champion Indiana - in addition to an entirely new coaching regime - and it's easy to see Michigan is out in front its football skis with this No. 16 ranking,” the article stated.
That raises the obvious question: are some college football analysts giving Michigan the benefit of the doubt because of Kyle Whittingham? It’s a fair read, especially given Whittingham’s track record against Riley and USC in head-to-head matchups.
For now, though, the two coaches and their schools won’t actually cross paths this season unless both teams reach the Big Ten Championship Game - and that scenario is described as extremely unlikely.
In Other News...
USC's 2026 Hopes May Hinge On Gary Patterson's Biggest Fix
USCs move to bring in Gary Patterson as defensive coordinator gives the program a veteran voice with a track record of organizing and tightening up a unit. It is his first full-time on-field role since 2021, and for the Trojans, the hire is less about nostalgia than necessity. In a Big Ten race that has started to feel like a coaching arms race, USC is betting that Patterson can help change the trajectory on that side of the ball.
The timing matters because Ohio State has also adjusted its staff, adding Arthur Smith as offensive coordinator after a strong defensive run in 2025. Those kinds of coordinator moves can ripple quickly into the next season, especially when teams are trying to keep pace in a conference that punishes any lag in development. For USC, the question now is whether Pattersons biggest fix arrives fast enough to matter in 2026. [Read more 🡒]
USC Just Got An Early Sign About Its 2026 Offense
USC got an early reminder this week that the spotlight on its 2026 offense will be intense, with quarterback Jayden Maiava and running back Waymond Jordan both landing on the Maxwell Award watch list. For Maiava, it adds to a growing stack of preseason recognition after a string of honors and nominations, a sign that his profile is rising as the Trojans head into a season with real expectations on that side of the ball.
Jordans inclusion is just as notable for a different reason. After a season-ending injury in 2025, his return gives USC another proven piece to build around, and his presence on the watch list suggests outside evaluators still see him as a player who can shape this offense right away. The Trojans open the 2026 season Aug. 29 against San Jose State, and the early attention on Maiava and Jordan hints that the conversation around USC may start well before then. [Read more 🡒]
USC Fans Got A Mixed Early Camp Picture On Two Rookie Receivers
USC fans got an early reminder of how quickly the next wave of former Trojans can make noise in the NFL. Ja'Kobi Lane has been turning heads in Ravens training camp, with a string of notable plays and plenty of attention from reporters after the third-round pick out of USC opened his pro career with the kind of flashes that tend to travel fast back to Los Angeles.
Makai Lemon, meanwhile, has had a slower start to camp with the Eagles. The first-round pick has missed several practices because of a hamstring injury, though Philadelphias offensive coordinator said Lemon is still staying engaged in his rehab. For USC supporters, it is a split-screen update on two rookie receivers who were part of the same program but are already taking very different early paths as camp unfolds. [Read more 🡒]