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The USC Trojans were left out of the 12-team College Football Playoff this past season, which adds an even greater layer of expectations for Lincoln Riley's team this year.
ESPN's Greg McElroy broke down how the Trojans can get there. Plain and simple, it begins and ends with Riley.
“This 2026 Trojan team, I think, has a chance. I really do,” McElroy said on "Always College Football." “You look at their odds at 35 to 1 [to win a national championship], pretty good value. You look at Lincoln Riley. He’s got his team, he’s got his defense. Now, he needs to just go and get it done on a week-to-week basis.”
McElroy didn't highlight any specific must-win games for the Trojans, but did reiterate how important a fast start and a complete team is for them this fall.
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“They’ve spent the last couple of weeks, the last eight months, the last however long it’s been, in building a blueprint, overhauling that blueprint," McElroy said. I don’t think this is the team that people currently think of when they think USC. They think finesse and offense and all [that] stuff. That’s not what this team is currently doing.”
McElroy said the Trojans couldn't care less about what the national media thinks of them. It's now just about execution.
“I know what the skeptics are saying. ‘Guys, they went 9-4 last year. They got bullied in the trenches by Notre Dame," McElroy said. "Well, I’m here to tell you that the 2026 USC Trojans are listening."
Notable games for the Trojans include a home date with the Oregon Ducks (Sept. 26), which is followed by a game against a Washington Huskies team also returning a lot of depth (Oct. 3). Later in the month, the Trojans welcome the Ohio State Buckeyes (Oct. 31), as they may be fighting for a top-three ranking and another conference title berth.
If a few games go the way of USC, it could be one of its most exciting seasons in recent memory.
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We will see how it plays out.
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