As the 2026 schedule comes into focus, the offense that stands out most on UWDP’s radar is USC’s. There are a few candidates in the mix, but the Trojans look like the one group most likely to force the issue.
The non-conference slate doesn’t exactly scream offensive firepower. Washington State has an offensive-minded coach in Kirby Moore and transfer quarterback Caden Pinnick, who finished last season as one of the top QBs in FCS.
Even so, the Cougars are starting over again under a new staff, and UW’s defense shut Pinnick down when UC Davis came to Montlake last year. That makes them hard to sell as one of the top attacks on the schedule.
Utah State could be dangerous in its own way under Bronco Mendenhall and offensive coordinator Robert Anae. Anae has long been one of Mendenhall’s trusted assistants, with stops at BYU and Virginia, and his offenses are known for dynamic dual-threat quarterbacks and a varied run game that can help level the field against better teams. Still, that feels more like a possible nuisance than one of the best offenses UW will see.
USC is a different story. Lincoln Riley has kept the Trojans dangerous on offense for years, but this season feels like a real pivot in how the roster is being built. Their 42-man, #1 ranked 2026 class reflects a broader shift over the last 18 months, and the emphasis is clear: rebuild the trenches.
That matters because Riley has always had no trouble stocking the skill positions. What separated his playoff teams at Oklahoma from the more uneven USC groups was what happened up front.
This year, the Trojans believe they have a line that can change that. Elijah Paige, Tobias Raymond, Alani Noa, and Justin Tauanuu are in place as starters, and a wave of blue-chip first- and second-year players is pushing for snaps.
The one blemish is a training camp injury to starting center Killian O’Connor that appears to be season ending, but the overall outlook still sounds optimistic.
That line should give Jayden Maiava plenty of support. He returns as Riley’s first returning starter at quarterback since Caleb Williams, and after throwing for 3,700 yards last season, the fifth-year QB has a chance to take another step.
The Trojans won’t have the same receiver room after losing now-NFL wideouts Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane, but the backfield gives them plenty to work with. Waymond Jordan was one of the country’s best running backs through the first half of last season before an injury ended his year after six games.
In his absence, former walk-on King Miller delivered nearly 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns in just seven starts. With both healthy, USC looks loaded in the run game.
That combination - a Lincoln Riley passing attack plus a legitimate ground game - makes the Trojans the most obvious candidate for top offense on the schedule.
Indiana belongs in that conversation too, even if the personnel turnover is significant. Curt Cignetti has made a habit of producing elite units fast, and even after losing Heisman-winning quarterback and No. 1 overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza, along with No. 1 receiver Omar Cooper Jr, No. 2 receiver Elijah Sarratt, No. 1 running back Roman Hemby, and No. 2 running back Kaelon Black, the Hoosiers still have enough pieces to stay dangerous.
The foundation is the offensive line. Carter Smith is back after 41 straight starts at left tackle, Drew Evans returns with 21 career starts at left guard, Bray Lynch brings back 29 starts at right guard, and Wisconsin transfer Joe Brunner adds 24 more career starts. That kind of experience is exactly what Cignetti wants.
At quarterback, TCU transfer Josh Hoover becomes the third straight transfer starter under Cignetti. He may not be asked to produce a Heisman season, but he brings the strongest résumé of any QB Cignetti has added.
Hoover has nearly triple the career passing yardage Mendoza brought to Bloomington, and he arrives as a fifth-year player with three years of starting experience. He’ll also be working with what could be the most talented receiver group he’s ever had, led by Michigan State transfer Nick Marsh and Charlie Becker, while BC transfer Turbo Richard headlines a run game that also includes Khobie Martin and Lee Beebe.
Indiana keeps raising the talent level, and that gives Cignetti’s balanced offense more ways to beat you.
Oregon also deserves a mention, even if it’s the kind of team you’d rather not spend too much time talking about. The Ducks will be impossible to ignore with Dante Moore back and favored to go No. 1 overall in next year’s NFL draft after likely being in the top five conversation this past draft had he declared. He has the arm talent, and he’s throwing to a deep, talented receiver group full of elite athletes, even if the box score numbers don’t always jump off the page.
The question for Oregon is up front. Dan Lanning’s teams are usually built from the line of scrimmage out, and that has been a strength since the Cristobal days.
This year, though, there’s a lot of turnover and projected youth on the offensive line. Emmanuel Pregnon, Isaiah World, and Alex Harkey are all in the NFL, and at least one true freshman, even if he is a five-star, is expected to start at one of the tackle spots.
Iapani Laloulu does return at center as a Rimington Award candidate, which gives the Ducks a proven anchor in an otherwise less experienced group.
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