Reign of Troy

For the second consecutive season, Jayden Maiava is set to lead the USC Trojans offense as the program enters its third year in the Big Ten. The talented signal caller and perennial Heisman hopeful aims to build upon a standout 2025 campaign, highlighted by a 91.2 QBR rating that ranked first in the nation. Since taking over for Miller Moss in Week 10 of the 2024 season, Maiava has firmly established himself as USC’s QB1.

Four-star wide receiver Eli Woodard backed away from his pledge to USC earlier this week after he decided to re-open his recruitment. Woodard, who committed to the Trojans on February 10, said that Miami, Cal and UCLA are all in the picture, with more teams expected to jump into the race as he puts together a schedule of official visits. Lincoln Riley has a strict no-visits policy for players that commit to USC, and he wasn't going to break that trust to retain Woodard.

There's been a lot of rumblings about what Bob Cheyney is doing in Westwood, but make no mistake about it — USC is still the King of Los Angeles and this weekend's commitment of 4-star athlete Gavin Williams. Williams, who plays football in the San Gabriel Valley at Damien High School (La Verne), is a two-way player that currently projects to be a safety in college. He chose the Trojans over Notre Dame, Washington and UCLA.

After failing to reach an agreement for the 2026 season, USC and Notre Dame are back at the-table to ensure one of college football’s greatest annual traditions continues. This report comes five months after the series was put on hiatus when USC suggested the game be moved to the start of the season, when it was more manageable for the Trojans while dealing with a nine-game Big Ten schedule.

Friday Night Lights are coming to the Coliseum. USC and Fresno State have been tapped for a primetime showdown on Sept. 4, airing nationally on FOX. It’s a chance for players to "turn back the clock" to their high school days as the Trojans host their in-state rivals under the lights for a rare Friday kickoff. Most of the Trojans' kickoffs have yet to be announced. USC will open the season six days earlier against San Jose State in a Week Zero matchup. USC announced it’s Friday game of the season.

USC is making it clear that the best talent in Southern California stays home. Industry experts have begun logging predictions for La Verne native Gavin Williams to join the Trojans, rewarding the coaching staff's relentless and high-profile recruitment of the top-tier safety. Ranked as the No. 9 safety in the nation and the No. 13 overall prospect in California, Williams is a cornerstone target for the Trojans’ 2027 efforts.

While five years may not seem like an eternity in college football, it represents a definitive crossroads for Lincoln Riley. Having spent exactly five seasons at Oklahoma, Riley now enters his fifth year at USC with the weight of expectation heavier than ever. To maintain his reputation as a premier strategist, the "offensive genius" must translate potential into elite on-field results starting now.

After concluding their second season in the Big Ten, it's evident that USC’s strategic exit from a mismanaged Pac-12 was a smart decision. The Trojans are now reaping the benefits of full revenue sharing, with financial gains pouring in at an unprecedented rate. As the data indicates, the financial shift is staggering as USC and UCLA pulled in more than double the revenue in their first year of Big Ten membership than they did during their final year in the Pac-12.

USC is in a real battle with UCLA for the top players in the city and the Trojans coach has to be up for the challenge Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Helmets at the line of scrimmage as Southern California Trojans offensive lineman J'Onre Reed (50) snaps the ball against the UCLA Bruins in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

For the first time in the NIL era, a team other than one belonging to the SEC finished with the No. 1 recruiting class. The 2026 USC recruiting class was a program defining haul under head coach Lincoln Riley because the Trojans not only finished with the No. 1 recruiting class nationally, but also landed the No. 1 ranked player in the country in edge Luke Wafle.