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During Big Ten Media Days, USC coach Lincoln Riley didn’t shy away from the Trojans’ challenging 2026 campaign but instead embraced it.
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For the upcoming season, ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) placed the Trojans’ in the top 20 of toughest schedules. The Trojans are also projected to go 8-4, with all four losses occurring in key conference games that can jeopardize their College Football Playoff hopes. To make matters worse, their CFP chances are already at 27.7 percent.
The Opportunity to Play Against Familiar Foes and New Opponents
The toughest games, and projected losses, are as follows:
- Sept. 26 vs. Oregon
- Oct. 10 at Penn State
- Oct. 31 vs. Ohio State
- Nov. 14 at Indiana
“That’s what you want. I mean that’s the perfect schedule for us this year,” Riley told CBS Sports’ Cover 3 Podcast. “When people dreamed up this Big Ten and combining these teams and all that, it was for a schedule like this and opportunities like this.”
Oregon of course is USC’s longest running rivalry of the group. The Trojans lead the Ducks 38-24-2 in their all-time matchups but they are 2-8 in their last 10 meetings, along with a four-game losing streak. Now that the former Pac 12 members have entered the Big Ten, Riley has a chance to swing the momentum of the current series in favor of Southern Cal.
The Buckeyes come in second for meetings against USC. USC holds the lead for their all-time record versus OSU – 13-10-1 – and is 8-2 in their last 10 meetings. This will be their first game against each other since the 2017 Cotton Bowl where the Buckeyes won 24-7.
USC and Penn State have put on some classics in recent history and now have the opportunity to build upon their rivalry as Big Ten foes. The Trojans hold an all-time 6-5 lead but the Nittany Lions have the win from their last meeting, an overtime thriller in 2024.
USC-Indiana is the least storied history of the group but has become the most interesting now that Curt Cignetti has made the program a powerhouse of the future. This will be their fifth meeting.
Lincoln Riley’s Confidence in the Coliseum
On top of being confident in his squad, Riley shared that the Trojans’ home turf, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, will be a key factor in their grueling schedule.
“One of the things I’m really proud of over here the last few years is I think the home field advantage is really back in the Coliseum right now,” Riley told Cover 3. “We went 7-0. We played some good football, we beat some good teams last year.”
It was actually Riley and the Trojans’ second time accomplishing that feat. The first time they went 7-0 at home was in the 2022 season, with one win being a huge upset over No. 15 Notre Dame. As for Riley’s overall home record at USC, it currently stands at 22-5.
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Oregon, Washington (Oct. 3) and Ohio State are the crucial, conference home games for the Trojans in 2026. On top of the emergence of the Coliseum’s new found energy, the Trojans have winning history at home against their invading opponents:
- 24-11-1 against Oregon
- 31-13 against Washington
- 5-3-1 against OSU
Lincoln Riley Admits to Struggles on the Road
One of the biggest questions Riley and the Trojans have to answer in 2026 is if they can win big games on the road. Last season, USC went 2-3 in away games, making Riley 10-10 in true road games.
Riley and the Trojans’ worst performance on the road was in 2024 where they went 1-4. Their lone win was against UCLA in the Rose Bowl.
“That’s probably our number one challenge as a football team and a program,” Riley admitted. “There’s kind of steps to becoming a champion and typically that’s one of the very last ones – Is having the ability to go in really tough football games on the road against good teams.”
The last time USC played Penn State in Beaver Stadium was in 1994 when the Nittany Lions came away with a 38-14 victory. USC will also be facing history as they are 0-2 all-time at Beaver Stadium.
As for Indiana, this will be USC’s second time at Bloomington. They will have a chance to go 2-0.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/usc as USC Fans Will Love Lincoln Riley’s Opinion on the Trojans’ Schedule.
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This story was originally published July 30, 2026 at 8:06 AM.