USC 2026 schedule among toughest for CFB contenders via CBS
The 2026 USC schedule was named among the toughest in the nation for College Football Contenders via CBSSports.com over the weekend. The Trojan schedule ranked No. 8 among the 12 contenders.
Lincoln Riley will demand playoff-level execution from the jump this season. Now fully embedded in the Big Ten after two years, USC has finally adjusted to the conference’s weekly brand of physicality, and the adjustment to the grind should pay off this fall. The travel factor is never going away. Crossing multiple time zones for road games adds another layer of difficulty, especially when those trips land in hostile environments where communication and tempo can be disrupted — like Penn State and Indiana. Home contests with Oregon, Washington and Ohio State will dictate where USC falls in the first CFP rankings by November.
Among those 12 teams, the USC schedule was third among Big Ten conference teams behind Ohio State and Michigan. The Trojan slate rated tougher than Oregon and Indiana, two teams USC will play in 2026.
The Trojans have a manageable early slate with three home games against San Jose State, Fresno State and Louisiana. USC will open Big Ten play on the East Coast in New Jersey against Rutgers before hosting Oregon.
No Excuses
While the 2026 USC schedule might have Trojan fans stressing, that is not the case when it comes to those inside the USC program. Trojan general manager Chad Bowden made it clear earlier this spring that the program is not looking for any excuses.
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“The schedule is perfect,” said Bowden on Trojans Live earlier this spring. “It’s exactly what this program needs it to be. I think the Big Ten did a great job. I’ve had a lot of different people come up to me, whether it’s donors, fans. A lot of different people have talked to me about the schedule. We don’t need excuses. That’s not what we are looking for. We are ready. This is a great football team. They love each other. It’s a great staff. This is the most perfect schedule for this program. We cannot wait to play in those games.”
The Trojans are looking to take another step forward for Lincoln Riley’s fifth season at the helm. USC football came a brutal overtime loss to TCU in the Alamo Bowl from Riley’s second ten-win season in Los Angeles. They finished 9-4, his best mark since 2022.
The pressure will be there for a College Football Playoff bid this fall, a path that will include games on the road at Wisconsin, Penn State and defending national champion Indiana.
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