USC Trojans Schedule Release: Exciting Big Ten Home Games, First-Time Road Matchups

The USC Trojans women's basketball team had their 2025-2026 Big Ten opponents announced on Wednesday.

What does the 2025-2026 Big Ten conference schedule have in store for coach Lindsay Gottlieb and her Trojans?

USC Trojans Big Ten Opponents For 2025-2026 Season Released

Mar 24, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lindsay Gottlieb claps her hands as she walks off the court after the Trojans defeated the Mississippi State Bulldogs in an NCAA Tournament second round game at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans have 18 Big Ten conference games for next season; nine being home at the Galen Center and the other nine on the road. USC will be playing every Big Ten team one time in the regular season, with the UCLA bruins being the only one they will be playing both at home and on the road.

The 2025-26 meetings will feature the first-ever visits to Galen Center for Iowa, Maryland, Purdue and Wisconsin. USC will be playing road games at Illinois and Minnesota for the first time.

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USC Trojans Big Ten Home Opponents

USC Trojans guard Kennedy Smith (11) and center Clarice Akunwafo (34) guard UCLA Bruins center Lauren Betts (51) during the second half of the 2025 TIAA Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament final game on Sunday, March 9, 2025, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. UCLA defeated USC 72-67. | Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

OFFICIAL: Our 2025-26 conference opponents are set 🔒 pic.twitter.com/tmEobs5or8
— USC Women's Basketball (@USCWBB) April 30, 2025

Indiana Hoosiers

Purdue Boilermakers

Iowa Hawkeyes

Wisconsin Badgers

Maryland Terrapins

Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Washington Husksies

Oregon Ducks

UCLA Bruins

USC Trojans Big Ten Road Opponents

Mar 24, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Nyla Hampton (22) drives past NC State Wolfpack guard Zamareya Jones (3) during the second half at James T. Valvano Arena at William Neal Reynolds. Mandatory Credit: William Howard-Imagn Images | William Howard-Imagn Images

Illinois Fighting Illini

Northwestern Wildcats

Michigan Wolverines

Michigan State Spartans

Ohio State Buckeyes

Penn State Nittany Lions

Minnesota Golden Gophers

Nebraska Cornhuskers

UCLA Bruins

USC Trojans 2025 Season Outlook

Mar 24, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; The USC Trojans huddle before the tipoff for their game against theMississippi State Bulldogs during an NCAA Tournament second round game at Galen Center. USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) in center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

In 2024-2025, USC went 31-4 and 17-1 in Big Ten conference play. They won the Big Ten regular season title after sweeping the UCLA Bruins in the regular season. USC entered the Big Ten tournament as the No. 1 seed, but feel to No. 2 seed UCLA in the Big Ten tournament championship game.

USC still earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. They were among one of the heavy favorites to win the while thing, but the JuJu Watkins injury changed everything. Watkins' injury in the second round of the tournament dramatically dimmed their title hopes. For the second straight season, USC was knocked out in the Elite Eight by the UConn Huskies. UConn, led by the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, Paige Bueckers, ended up cruising to the 2025 National Championship.

Not only was the Watkins injury a major blow to the 2025 tournament run, it also has USC in a tough position heading into the 2025 season.

The biggest story heading into 2025 for USC is the status of superstar guard JuJu Watkins. Watkins tore her ACL in the Trojans second round win in the tournament and has a grueling recovery in front of her. In just her sophomore season, Watkins won the 2025 Wooden Award for being the most outstanding player in women’s college basketball. She averaged 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3 assists.

USC freshman guard Avery Howell looked poised to be the one to fill in for Watkins while she was out, but Howell transferred to Washington this offseason. Once Watkins went out in the tournament, Howell scored 18, 18, and 9 points after averaging just 7.5 points throughout the season.

USC will now be relying heavy on guard Kennedy Smith to be their rock in the backcourt without Watkins.