USC still carries the weight of a blue-blood brand, but the latest national program rankings make it plain: the Trojans are no longer being treated like one of college football’s elite five.
USA TODAY Sports slotted USC at No. 10 in its ranking of the nation’s best programs, a sign of how far the Trojans have slid after years of uneven results. The article pointed to the Pete Carroll era as the last stretch when USC was the Pac-12’s dominant force, then noted that the program has not produced the kind of sustained success expected since NCAA violations hit. It also highlighted two major blemishes: USC still has not reached the College Football Playoff, and its move to the Big Ten has not gone smoothly.
The ranking leaves USC behind Michigan and Ohio State among Big Ten programs, with Notre Dame checked in at No. 4.
LSU, led by Lane Kiffin, is No. 6, while Miami under Mario Cristobal comes in at No. 9.
There are at least a few reasons for optimism in the piece. USA TODAY Sports pointed to a nine-win 2025 season and the arrival of one of the nation’s top-ranked signing classes as signs that things could be turning. But the message was clear: USC still has work to do before it can climb back toward the top of the Big Ten, let alone reclaim a spot in the top five nationally.
That’s the challenge now. USC’s history still matters, but history alone doesn’t keep a program in the top tier. The Trojans have won just one conference championship and one Rose Bowl since the 2008 season, and if they keep falling short, the gap between reputation and reality will only keep growing.
In Other News...
Lincoln Riley Just Sent A Major Message About Jayden Maiava
At Big Ten media days, Lincoln Riley made it clear that Jayden Maiava has earned plenty of trust heading into the new season. The USC coach praised the quarterbacks growth since taking over last year, pointing to the kind of steady improvement that can matter just as much as raw talent when a program is trying to settle in at the position.
Maiava was USCs starter last season and helped guide an offense that functioned effectively, which gives Rileys confidence some real backing. The bigger takeaway for the Trojans is that the quarterback conversation already feels far more settled than it did a year ago, with Maiava positioned to open 2026 carrying the full support of the staff behind him. [Read more 🡒]
USC Freshmen Are Already Making Fall Camp Defense Decisions Tougher
USCs young defensive class has already turned spring work into a real fall-camp subplot, with several freshmen making enough of an impression to force the staff to think beyond simple redshirt plans. The group includes linebacker Talanoa Ili, cornerback Elbert Hill, safety Madden Riordan and defensive lineman Tomuhini Topui, all of whom have shown traits that fit what the Trojans want on that side of the ball.
Ili has drawn attention as a linebacker prospect with rare upside, Hill has looked unusually polished in coverage since arriving in January, Riordan has flashed the kind of ball skills that created turnovers in high school, and Topui brings the size and burst that can translate to early snaps up front. None of that guarantees a clean path to playing time, but it does mean USCs coaches are heading into camp with more options than they probably expected, and a few more decisions to make once the pads come on. [Read more 🡒]
USCs New Roster Just Raised Bigger Questions About This Team
USC is only into fall camp, but the first updated roster already tells a story about how much the program has changed since spring. The Trojans have been busy reshaping the board in the offseason, adding 24 players overall, mostly walk-ons, while also bringing in a handful of more notable newcomers through signings and transfers. For a team opening against San Jose State, those kinds of roster updates are more than housekeeping. They are a snapshot of where the staff thinks it has depth, where it needs help, and which bodies are expected to carry more of the load this fall.
The physical changes are just as revealing. Some players have clearly been asked to carry different roles, from offensive linemen and tight ends to defensive linemen and corners, and the new measurements suggest USC is still sorting out how this roster wants to look in August. The most interesting part is not just who arrived, but how many players seem to have changed in ways that could affect the two-deep before the opener even gets here. [Read more 🡒]