USC’s 2026 season may come down to one night at the Coliseum.
The Trojans are heading into Lincoln Riley’s fifth year with the pressure cranked all the way up, and the path to the College Football Playoff runs through a Big Ten schedule that leaves little room for mistakes. Among the games on the slate, one stands out as the one that could swing everything: a Halloween showdown with Ohio State.
It will be USC’s first meeting with the Buckeyes since joining the Big Ten in 2024, and it also marks the first time Riley and Ryan Day will coach against each other. With the game set for the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, it has the feel of a potential signature moment for Riley in Los Angeles.
Ohio State comes in looking for a reset after falling to the Miami Hurricanes in the CFP Quarterfinal at the Cotton Bowl. The Buckeyes bring back two major stars in quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, both of whom are in the mix for the Heisman Trophy and are expected to drive Ohio State’s push back toward the national title picture.
That puts a huge burden on USC’s defense, which will be operating in its first season under new coordinator Gary Patterson. The Trojans will need that unit to hold up in their biggest games, and none looms larger than the one against Ohio State.
The timing of that matchup matters, too. USC also has another major home test earlier in the season against Oregon on Sept. 26, and depending on how that game plays out, a win over the Buckeyes could be the result that seals a CFP berth and a spot in the Big Ten championship game.
But this isn’t just about defense. USC’s offense will have to answer as well, because Ohio State still figures to have a strong defense even after offseason departures.
Jayden Maiava is back at quarterback for the Trojans after a strong first full season as the starter. In 2025, when USC finished 9-3 and missed the playoff, Maiava led the Big Ten in passing with 3,711 yards, 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, while posting a 89.9 QBR.
He enters 2026 as an underrated Heisman contender, but the biggest question is how he handles USC’s biggest stages. The Trojans’ losses last season to Illinois, Notre Dame and Oregon all came with turnovers from Maiava, who threw five interceptions across those three games, and several of them came at critical moments.
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