The first week of the 2026 California high school football season already has a USC flavor to it, and the Trojans’ 2027 class will be spread all over Southern California Friday nights.
Last fall had a very different feel. USC was overhauling its recruiting approach and leaning back into the California pipeline, and the result was a steady stream of future Trojans showing up in marquee games.
This year’s group is smaller - 14 commitments in the 2027 cycle - so the calendar isn’t as packed with USC-on-USC matchups. But there are still plenty of spots where Trojan pledges and targets will collide.
It begins Thursday, Aug. 20, when Corona Centennial, home to four-star receiver commit Quentin Hale, takes on Servite, which has four-star offensive tackle commit Drew Fielder. That game also brings in a pair of major 2028 targets: Centennial three-star running back Malaki Davis and Servite four-star linebacker Allen “Cinco” Kennett V.
A week later, on Aug. 28, Centennial gets another big test against Santa Margarita in a rematch of the CIF Southern Section Division I Championship.
The teams met twice last season, and Santa Margarita won both. Santa Margarita, coached by former USC Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Carson Palmer, features three-star defensive line commit Isaia Vandermade and another important 2028 target in four-star cornerback Ca’ron “Prime” Williams.
Centennial’s run through the Trinity League continues on Sept. 11 against Mater Dei, a game that stands out because of the head-to-head battle between Hale and four-star cornerback commit Danny Lang. Those two already crossed paths at the South County Classic passing tournament in July, and now they’ll do it in a real game. Mater Dei also has 2028 four-star safety Ace Leutele.
Damien, which has four-star safety commit Gavin Williams, is set to play Servite on Sept. 25.
Trinity League play then rolls into October with Santa Margarita against Mater Dei, followed by Santa Margarita and Servite the next week, giving the commits in the trenches a chance to go at it.
Servite and Mater Dei meet on Thursday, Oct. 15. The next day, Santa Margarita faces Bosco, which features three-star linebacker commit Josiah Poyer and a major 2028 offensive line target in four-star Elisha Mueller.
Bosco and Servite are scheduled for Oct. 23, putting Fielder in position for plenty of snaps against Poyer at the second level. Mater Dei and Bosco then finish the regular season on Oct. 30.
Two future Trojans - Cathedral Catholic five-star athlete commit Honor Fa’alave-Johnson and Oaks Christian four-star defensive line commit Alifeleti Tuihalamaka - don’t have games lined up against future teammates, but that could change once the playoffs arrive.
In Other News...
USCs Opener Just Became A Tougher Test For The Trojans Defense
USCs defensive staff now has a clearer picture of what it will face in the Week 0 opener, and it is not an offense inclined to sit around and feel things out. San Jose State is bringing in Luke Weaver, a transfer from Hawaii who has already shown he can manage a game and has experience in a bowl setting, to run a quick-tempo passing attack that should keep the Trojans moving and communicating from the first snap.
For Lincoln Riley and Gary Patterson, the challenge is less about the name on the depth chart than the style attached to it. Weaver comes in after winning a tight camp battle, and his presence gives San Jose State a steadier hand for a spread game that can stress a defense in a hurry, especially in an opener when every adjustment has to come fast. [Read more 🡒]
USC Enters A Crucial Camp Stretch With One Big Quarterback Question
USCs fall camp has started to take on a sharper edge as the Trojans moved through their 15th practice and turned the focus toward the season opener against San Jose State. The tempo has picked up around both sides of the ball, and Lincoln Riley has singled out several defensive players for the kind of camp work that can start to shape the depth chart before the first game arrives.
There was also a welcome sight on the practice field with Tanook Hines back in full pads after missing spring and most of camp, giving USC another receiver to work into the mix. The bigger personnel question, though, still hangs over the quarterback room behind the starter, where the battle for the backup spot continues without a clear separator as camp enters a critical stretch. [Read more 🡒]
USC Offense Is Chasing The Identity Fans Have Been Waiting For
Lincoln Riley says USCs offense is still taking shape, but the direction is becoming clearer as training camp goes on. The Trojans are working toward a more diversified attack than theyve shown in recent years, with a run game that the staff believes is better positioned to complement the passing game and give the unit more balance.
The progress starts up front, where coaches and players have pointed to improved offensive line play and better cohesion across the group. Riley has also stressed a sharper understanding of what this team does well, which matters as USC tries to settle into an identity that can carry it into the season. The pieces are there now, and the next step is making that version of the offense hold up when the games count. [Read more 🡒]