USC heads into one of its toughest early tests Saturday night, traveling to Utah for a nonconference matchup with No. 9 BYU.
The Trojans are trying to build on a road draw at Pepperdine last Sunday, when Lily Biddulph scored in the first half and USC settled for a 1-1 result after the Waves equalized on a penalty kick in the 52nd minute. Eleanor Morrissey and Savannah Leifried set up the lone USC goal.
That came after a season-opening loss to No. 3 Duke, a 3-1 defeat in which the Blue Devils struck three times in the first half. USC got a second-half goal from Morrissey in the 63rd minute, with assists from Jaiden Rodriguez and Leifried.
Saturday’s meeting also brings another chapter in a tightly contested series with BYU. USC is 4-4-3 all-time against the Cougars since the teams first met in 1998.
The last two matchups have both taken place in Utah, and BYU won each one. The most recent meeting came in 2023 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, when the Cougars ended USC’s run with a 1-0 win.
In the 11 games between the programs, the home team has never lost.
The Trojans will make the trip into a loaded schedule as usual. Twelve of USC’s 18 opponents this season reached the NCAA Tournament last year, including Stanford and Duke, both of whom made the College Cup.
Pepperdine, BYU, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Washington, Illinois, Northwestern, Iowa and UCLA were also part of the 2025 tournament field. Those 12 teams combined for 22 NCAA Tournament wins, and Stanford finished as national runner-up.
USC was picked to finish seventh in the Big Ten preseason coaches poll and had three players named to the conference’s Preseason Players to Watch list: Annabel Austen, Mary Cochran and Alyssa Parsons.
Jane Alukonis enters her fifth season leading the Trojans in 2026 with a career record of 48-16-13. She was the 2024 Big Ten Coach of the Year after guiding USC to a conference championship.
In four seasons as a collegiate head coach, she has led USC to four NCAA Tournament wins and a quarterfinal appearance in 2024. Under her watch, the Trojans also earned the first No. 1 seed in program history and brought in the No. 1-ranked recruiting class this offseason.
That incoming group is a major part of the conversation around the program. USC signed 13 players this offseason, and Prep Soccer ranked the 2026 class No. 1 in the country.
The class includes seven freshmen and six transfers, along with the No. 3 and No. 5 players in Prep Soccer’s rankings, Jordan Hill and Rhiannon Mahon, plus the nation’s top goalkeeper, Josie Biehl. All six freshmen were ranked in the top six in their respective states and regions.
Several newcomers and returners have already left their mark. Morrissey leads USC with three points on the year after scoring against Duke and adding an assist against Pepperdine.
Leifried, in her first collegiate game, assisted the Trojans’ lone goal against Duke and also picked up an assist against Pepperdine. Rodriguez had the first assist on the opener against Duke.
Biddulph scored her first career goal against Pepperdine in the 17th minute, finishing a cross from Morrissey. In goal, Biehl took over in the second half against Duke and held the Blue Devils scoreless over the final 45 minutes with two saves, then started against Pepperdine and made six saves while allowing only the penalty kick.
Saturday’s match will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Links for the broadcast and live stats are available on the women’s soccer schedule page at USCTrojans.com, and in-game updates will be posted on X at @USC_Wsoccer.
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For Lincoln Riley and Gary Patterson, the challenge now is less about guessing who will be under center and more about handling the pace of San Jose States quick-tempo passing attack. The Trojans had already expected an opener that would force them to communicate cleanly and tackle well in space, and Weavers presence only sharpens that test as USC starts to sort out its defense in a real game setting. [Read more 🡒]
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USC's Offensive Line Suddenly Faces A Crucial Test Before Game Week
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Raymond also pointed to the challenge of going against the defensive line in practice, where the back-and-forth is helping the group sharpen its communication. He stressed how much the line leans on camaraderie as it works through the transition, and USC will need that cohesion quickly as it heads into a week that now carries a little more urgency up front. [Read more 🡒]