USC opened the preseason with a spot that says plenty about how the rest of the sport views the Trojans right now. In the newly released USA Today Coaches Poll, Lincoln Riley’s team landed at No. 14, putting USC inside the top 15 to start the year.
That number reflects more than reputation. It reflects the way opposing coaches seem to have taken stock of what USC has built this offseason: a roster loaded with blue-chip talent, a handful of transfers who can help right away and a defensive overhaul that has drawn real attention.
The headline piece is the 2026 recruiting class. Riley has leaned more heavily on general manager Chad Bowden and his staff, and the Trojans answered by landing the nation’s top-ranked class.
Per 247Sports, that group includes three five-star prospects: offensive tackle Keenyi Pepe, edge rusher Luke Wafle and defensive lineman Jameion Winfield. Add in incoming wide receivers and four-stars Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and Ethan “Boobie” Feaster, who have already made impactful plays in practice, and it starts to make sense why coaches around the country took notice.
USC believes at least five true freshmen can play immediately, and the vibe around the program is that these 17- and 18-year-olds don’t carry themselves like first-year players. They enrolled early, spent time with the team and, according to the consensus among Trojan players, they don’t feel like freshmen. Their presence has raised the level of competition, in part because almost the entire class took part in winter workouts and spring practice.
That energy hasn’t come only from the newcomers. Michigan State transfer Alex VanSumeren has brought a blue-collar work ethic and leadership that has already started to show.
His appearance at the Big Ten Media Days underscored how much USC values those traits. Former North Carolina State wide receiver Terrell Anderson is another transfer who gives the offense a needed jolt with his return-game ability and deep-threat speed.
Then there’s the move that may have mattered just as much in the eyes of the coaches voting in this poll: Riley bringing in former TCU head coach Gary Patterson to help run the defense. Patterson arrives with his aggressive 4-2-5 scheme and a long track record of fielding strong defenses in Fort Worth, along with producing future NFL veterans.
“My job is to make sure that we can put the best product we possibly can on the field that will help Coach Riley,” Patterson said during his appearance at USC media day held on Aug. 3.
His arrival has already made an impression on players and earned praise from media observers, and it appears the coaches who filled out the poll bought in too.
The return of quarterback Jayden Maiava also matters here. USC probably would have slipped lower without him choosing not to test the NFL Draft in April.
Even so, the Trojans are still working in a conference that carries plenty of weight at the top. Ohio State and Oregon hold the No. 1 and No. 2 spots, respectively, while defending national champion Indiana checks in at No.
USC is right there in the mix, just not in the top 10. That seems to fit the questions still hanging over the Trojans: how Maiava builds explosive chemistry without Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane, how quickly Patterson’s defense clicks under a 66-year-old coordinator, and how the secondary settles after offseason losses and a wave of new faces.
The offseason brought USC a lot to like. The No. 14 ranking shows the coaches saw it, too.
In Other News...
Lincoln Riley Just Offered USC Fans Their First Real 2026 Clue
USCs 2026 media day doubled as the opening bell for fall camp, with roughly 40 players and assistant coaches making the rounds as the Trojans started to take shape for the season. The conversations naturally leaned into the familiar August themes: team camaraderie, better recovery work, and the mental growth Rileys staff wants to see as camp gets underway.
Lincoln Riley also gave Trojans fans a long-view glimpse they can file away for later, even as the present still feels very much under construction. The day covered the usual camp checkpoints, but the bigger takeaway was that USC is entering the season with a lot still to be answered, from how the roster fits together to which jobs are going to settle in the weeks ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Lincoln Riley Just Framed USCs Toughest Roster Decision Yet
Lincoln Riley spent part of his latest media availability dealing with a roster problem that is becoming the new normal across college football, and it is one USC now has to manage carefully. The Trojans are over the 105-player limit established after the House v. NCAA settlement, which means the staff is navigating not just depth chart decisions but the broader challenge of fitting an expanded roster model into a tighter framework.
Riley also pointed to the new NCAA five-for-five redshirt rule as a useful tool for handling that squeeze, since it gives programs more flexibility in keeping players engaged while protecting eligibility. On the field, he singled out running backs Waymond Jordan and King Miller as a duo with real upside, a reminder that even amid the paperwork and roster math, USC is still trying to sort out which players can give the offense its clearest edge. [Read more 🡒]
King Miller Gives USC A Run Game Fans Can Believe In
King Miller went from former walk-on to one of the more reliable pieces in USCs offense last season, and the Trojans are now banking on his growth becoming a bigger part of what they do on the ground. Thrust into the lineup because of injuries, Miller answered with 972 yards and eight touchdowns in 2025, then earned a scholarship and spent the offseason adding 15 pounds to help him hold up to a bigger load.
The challenge now is turning one breakout year into something more sustainable, especially with Waymond Jordan back healthy and ready to share the backfield. USC should have a real foundation up front, too, with all five starters back on an experienced offensive line, which gives the Trojans a chance to run the ball with more consistency than they have in a while. [Read more 🡒]