USC heads into 2026 with the kind of schedule that leaves no room for hiding. Indiana, Ohio State and Oregon all await, and Penn State and Washington are in the mix too, giving the Trojans a brutal Big Ten slate as they chase the first College Football Playoff berth in program history.
That reality puts a premium on quarterback play, and Jayden Maiava is the man under center with the biggest opportunity of his career. The redshirt senior enters the season with a day two draft grade and plenty of attention after a strong 2025, when he finished first in the regular season in QBR and led the Big Ten in passing yards. At 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, with 31 career starts, he has the profile and the experience to make a serious leap if everything comes together.
Maiava’s path has already included a midseason takeover and a full-time rise. He transferred from UNLV to USC in January 2024, spent the first nine games backing up Miller Moss, then stepped in after a 4-5 start and went 3-1 down the stretch. Last season, once he had the job from the start, his play and his leadership both took noticeable steps forward.
There’s still work to do. His road play has been inconsistent, and turnovers remain part of the conversation.
He also has to handle pressure better. The good news for USC is that help is back up front: all five offensive line starters return, and the unit has real depth.
The Trojans also bring back their two leading rushers, King Miller and Waymond Jordan.
Maiava is also entering year three with Lincoln Riley and offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Luke Huard, and that kind of continuity matters. Riley’s reputation for developing quarterbacks is as strong as anyone’s in the sport, and the way Maiava improved from year one to year two makes another jump in 2026 feel very much on the table.
The pass-catching group looks different, but not short on talent. USC lost Makai Lemon, Ja’Kobi Lane and Lake McRee, yet the room may be more talented overall than it was a year ago.
Tanook Hines is back after earning a starting role alongside Lemon and Lane out of fall camp, then finishing hot with 335 receiving yards over the final three games. NC State transfer Terrell Anderson also arrives after a breakout season and with the kind of pedigree that made him a top 100 recruit in the 2024 class.
The incoming freshman class adds even more juice at receiver, with Boobie Feaster, Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and Trent Mosley all standing out as polished players who could contribute right away. USC also returns Corey Simms and Zacharyus Williams at the position.
Tight end is getting a makeover too. Five-star freshman Mark Bowman leads the new group, joined by Josiah Jefferson, the No.
1 JUCO tight end, and Wisconsin transfer Tucker Ashcraft. Redshirt freshman Nela Tupou is back after seeing more snaps late last season.
One stat from last year tells you what kind of ceiling Maiava brings: his 37 completions of 20 or more air yards led the FBS. With more explosive talent around him at receiver and tight end, USC has a chance to stretch defenses even more.
Of course, offense has rarely been the issue for Riley. Defense has.
That challenge became even sharper when D’Anton Lynn left in late December for the same job at Penn State, forcing Riley into what may be the most important hire of his tenure. He turned to Gary Patterson, the former TCU head coach and longtime Big 12 rival.
Patterson arrives with a long record of building strong defenses and developing players, and USC has given him more to work with than he’s ever had in his coaching career, thanks to returning starters, portal additions and the No. 1 recruiting class. Since arriving in January, he has been around the facility constantly, studying film with the kind of obsession most people reserve for their favorite shows.
If Patterson can steady the defense, the burden on Maiava gets lighter. And if Maiava takes the next step while USC gets competent play on the other side of the ball, the Trojans have a real shot to finally break through to the College Football Playoff.
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Anthony Gubitosi arrives after stops at Delaware and Indiana, giving USC a left-handed option with a lot of college baseball behind him already. He spent last season in Indianas bullpen, where he was used in a limited role, and now gets a fresh start in Los Angeles for his fifth collegiate season as the Trojans continue to reshape the pitching staff. [Read more 🡒]
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USCs 2026 Schedule Has An Uncomfortable Transfer Portal Twist
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The list includes Deijon Laffitte and Gino Quinones with Fresno State, Bear Alexander with Oregon, Kade Eldridge with Washington, Bryan Jackson with Wisconsin and Harry Dalton III with Maryland. For USC, it is the kind of reminder that the transfer portal can reshape a roster quickly, and also the kind of schedule wrinkle that can leave an old fan favorite or two in line for an awkward welcome back. [Read more 🡒]