Biggest Game of the Year for USC Trojans Next Season

Heading into next season, the USC Trojans are hoping to build on their 2025 showing, but one game specifically could play a major role in how USC's season goes, and also how the Big Ten standings end up.

Aug 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches from the sidelines against the Missouri State Bears in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

As the USC Trojans head into the 2026 season, the pressure continues to mount on coach Lincoln Riley to get USC over the top and to compete on the national stage. 

In the Big Ten, there are never any easy games, and with that, the Trojans schedule next season is a difficult one. However, there is one game that could not only determine USC’s season but also how the Big Ten standings shake out.  

Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley leads the Spirit of Troy marching band in a rendition of Tribute to Troy after teh game against the UCLA Bruins at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Sept. 26 Against Oregon

With the 2026 season on the horizon, it seems quite clear that one game that could definitely determine the outcome of the Trojans season is the matchup with Oregon.

Over the past few seasons, Oregon, under the leadership of Coach Dan Lanning, has gotten closer and closer to winning a national championship with clear improvement every season. As such, Oregon is one of the best measuring sticks for the Big Ten teams and where they rank in the conference.

Riley and the Trojans have struggled to beat Oregon, but this time the game is at USC and could give the Trojans their best chance to take down the Ducks. Not only is it crucial for USC to prove it can compete with Oregon, but it is also crucial that the rest of its schedule is filled with top-tier competition in the Big Ten.

Other games that the Trojans have on the schedule include Home matchups against Ohio State and Washington, in addition to road matchups with Indiana, Penn State, and Wisconsin. As the season moves along, the physicality of the Big Ten will begin to increase, and coming out with wins will become very difficult. That is why winning a game against Oregon early in the season could mean so much.

Added onto the standings outcome for the Trojans, a win against the Ducks early in the season could help to build significant momentum and give USC the confidence needed to battle through the Big Ten gauntlet. 

Dec 30, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) throws the ball against the TCU Horned Frogs in the first half during the Alamo Bowl at Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Jayden Maiava’s Opportunity

The matchup against Oregon is not just about the Trojans being able to pick up a crucial win, it also gives USC quarterback Jayden Maiava a tremendous opportunity as he looks to have his best season yet and potentially declare for the 2027 NFL Draft.

In this matchup, Maiava will have the opportunity to compete against Oregon quarterback Dante Moore, who is projected to be one of the best quarterbacks in the country. At one point, it seemed that Moore would declare for the 2026 NFL Draft, but instead, he opted to return for the 2026 college football season to once again compete with Oregon for the national title.

With this game being so early in the season, a great performance from Maiava could give him great momentum in an opportunity to not only boost his draft stock but also have a chance to win the Heisman Trophy. 

When it comes to finding players who can succeed at the next level, scouts often look for players who played at their best regardless of the competition. If the first four games of the season go how USC hopes, the Trojans should be heading into this matchup with Oregon sitting at 4-0. If USC can pick up a win, it would move to 5-0 and allow itself to make the Big Ten championship game for the first time under Riley. 

In many ways, Maiava’s performance in this game against Oregon could set the tone for USC’s season, but also how the Big Ten standings end up. If Oregon loses this game against USC, it could open the door for other teams to compete against USC for a spot in the Big Ten championship game.

Oct 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley (wearing white visor) celebrates along with defensive end coach Shaun Nua after kicker Ryon Sayeri (48) hit a 54-yard field goal in the second half against the Michigan Wolverines at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Big Ten Tests

Over the past three seasons, the Big Ten has started to rise and is on the verge of becoming the best conference in all of college football. That is mainly due to having the last three national champions come from the Big Ten, which were Michigan in 2023, Ohio State in 2024, and Indiana in 2025.

Each of these teams showed dominance and the ability to physically take over a game all season long. The ability to do that against teams all across the country shows that teams that qualify for the College Football Playoff in the Big Ten are battle-tested. 

That is why, if USC can win most of its tough matchups, it could be poised for a deep run in the postseason. Being tested time and time again in the Big Ten gives the Trojans plenty of opportunities to be prepared for what the College Football Playoff could have in store for them.

As USC prepares for what could be one of its more important seasons under Riley, the competition at the top end of the Big Ten will be something to watch and see how the Trojans can stack up against it.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, and X for the latest news.