USC heads into 2026 with plenty to prove, and the latest preseason national recognition only sharpened that edge.
The Trojans did not place a single player on the USA TODAY Sports preseason All-America college football team, a notable slight for a program trying to climb back into the sport’s top tier. For a team facing what the source calls one of its most important seasons in program history, the omission adds another layer to the pressure already hanging over Lincoln Riley’s group.
USC has not reached the College Football Playoff in any of the past 12 seasons, and frustration around the program has continued to build. Riley’s standing as a coach has also taken a hit, making 2026 feel like a prove-it year in every sense.
USA TODAY’s team leaned heavily toward the sport’s perceived heavyweights. The outlet said the list "features standouts from the favorites for this year’s College Football Playoff, with multiple first- and second-team selections from Oregon, Ohio State, Indiana, Georgia and Texas. The biggest debate might have come at quarterback, where Oregon’s Dante Moore earned first-team accolades over Ohio State’s Julian Sayin.On the other hand, there was no debate over the three players who earned unanimous first-team honors: Mississippi running back Kewan Lacy, Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore."
USC’s offense was shut out entirely, a clear reflection of where the Trojans sit in the preseason conversation. Ohio State and Oregon are being treated as the top two teams in the country, with Indiana also drawing national respect after its defending national championship. USC, meanwhile, is left chasing that group.
That’s the challenge in front of the Trojans now: turn the noise into fuel and finally deliver the kind of statement their fans have been waiting for.
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The Coliseums new fan experience upgrades are part of the backdrop too, as USC continues trying to make home games feel like an event even when the opponent does not create much natural urgency. The more revealing test may come later, when ranked teams arrive and national attention can push prices in the other direction, offering a clearer read on how much demand is driven by the opponent, the moment and the broader pull of the Trojans brand. [Read more 🡒]
USC Receiver Room Suddenly Carries One Huge Opener Concern
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The bigger question now is how much stability USC will have when the opener arrives. Junior Terrell Anderson has been out of fall camp because of an injury, and his availability remains uncertain, which matters because the room is already leaning heavily on first- and second-year players. For a team replacing proven production at receiver, that leaves the Trojans waiting to see whether the depth chart is the full picture or just the first draft of it. [Read more 🡒]
USCs New Look Offense Faces Its First Real Test Right Away
USC heads into 2026 with the kind of buzz that follows a 9-4 season, and Lincoln Riley is entering his fifth year knowing the opener will tell him plenty about how far this group has come. The Trojans have a familiar centerpiece in redshirt senior quarterback Jayden Maiava, who passed on the NFL Draft to come back for one more season, and theyll need his steadiness to help a young receiving corps settle in after key departures to the pros.
There is still real intrigue around the rest of the offense, especially with sophomore running back King Miller back after a breakout year. For Riley, the first game is about more than a clean start, since it doubles as the first chance to see whether this rebuilt unit can match the expectations that come with wearing USC colors. [Read more 🡒]