August has become prediction season in college football, and Sports Illustrated has made its feelings about USC pretty clear. The magazine slotted the Trojans at No. 10 ahead of the 2026 season, a ranking that would be enough to put USC in the College Football Playoff for the first time.
SI’s outlook leans heavily on quarterback Jayden Maiava and a defense it believes is about to take a real step forward under Gary Patterson. The magazine wrote: "Maiava, in his third season with Lincoln Riley, sets career bests in yards and touchdown passes pushing the ball downfield vertically to big-play receivers Terrell Anderson and Tanook Hines.
Only, the turnovers-26 interceptions in three collegiate seasons-continue to rear their ugly head. But a suddenly opportunistic Trojans defense, commandeered by Hall of Famer and defensive whiz Gary Patterson, flips plenty of fields for USC and creates a bevy of scoring opportunities," SI wrote.
That No. 10 spot carries a pretty obvious message: USC is being projected as a playoff team. In practical terms, the Trojans would likely need at least a 10-2 record to get there. To reach that mark, they probably have to beat one of Oregon, Ohio State, or Indiana.
There’s also a little tea leaf reading baked into SI’s Big Ten ordering. The publication ranked Ohio State behind Oregon and Indiana, which suggests it expects USC to handle the Buckeyes when they visit the Los Angeles Coliseum later this season.
If USC beats Ohio State, Washington and Penn State while dropping games to Indiana and Oregon, the Trojans would still hit 10-2 as long as they avoid a slip-up against the seven opponents they’re expected to beat.
In Other News...
USC Is Building Early Momentum With A Running Back To Watch
USCs 2028 recruiting board keeps getting a little more interesting, and one of the younger names to watch is Jaion Deuce Smith. The Santa Margarita High School running back picked up an offer from the Trojans on June 11, and now he is set for his first game day visit to the Coliseum on Aug. 29, giving the staff an early chance to make a stronger impression on a local prospect with ties to the program through family and the coaching staff.
Smith already has more trips lined up beyond Los Angeles, with planned visits to California, Wisconsin and Kansas, but USC will be trying to build on the momentum it gained by getting in early. The three-star back is ranked No. 74 in California, and while he is still at the beginning of his recruitment, the Trojans clearly view him as a name worth tracking as they continue work in the states 2028 class. [Read more 🡒]
Sam Darnold Just Took His Place Among USC Quarterback Greats
USCs 2026 schedule will begin Aug. 29 against San Jose State, but the buzz around the programs quarterback history has been pulling attention back to one of its most memorable recent passers. Sam Darnolds rise from campus star to first-round NFL pick in 2018 has become one of the cleanest through lines in the Trojans modern quarterback lineage, a reminder of how much weight the position still carries in Los Angeles.
Darnolds time at USC from 2015 to 2017 left enough of a mark to keep him in the conversation with the schools best, and his pro career has only added to that case. After being drafted by the New York Jets, he has now added a major NFL breakthrough with the Seattle Seahawks, giving USC another former quarterback to point to when the program starts looking ahead to fall. [Read more 🡒]
USC Freshmen Are Already Forcing Their Way Into Key Roles
Lincoln Riley made it clear this summer that USCs 2026 freshman class is not expected to spend the season watching and learning from the sideline. Several newcomers are already positioned to compete for starting jobs or meaningful snaps, a sign that the Trojans believe this group can help right away rather than waiting its turn. The names getting the most attention span both sides of the ball, from defensive linemen Tomuhini Topui and Wafle to safety Madden Riordan and a deep receiver group that includes Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, Mosley and Boobie Feaster.
There is also help coming in the secondary with cornerback Elbert Hill, giving USC a class with real breadth and not just one obvious strength. What makes it notable is how quickly these freshmen have gone from future promise to present tense conversation, with their backgrounds and physical tools making them part of the roster picture before the season has even fully taken shape. The bigger question now is not whether USC likes the talent, but how many of these first-year players can carve out roles once the games start for real. [Read more 🡒]