Three Biggest Wide Receivers Tests on USC's Schedule

The 2026 season is a crucial one for the USC Trojans, but it will not be easy with several tough tests against wide receivers throughout the season for coach Lincoln Riley’s squad.

Three Big Ten receivers on USC’s schedule were all ranked in Ari Wasserman of On3’s top 10 wide receivers in the nation.

USC's Schedule Three Key Wide Receiver Tests Coach Gary Patterson Lincoln Riley Jeremiah Smith Charlie Becker Dakorien Moore — Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith celebrates a touchdown against Michigan on Nov. 29. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State Buckeyes

Without question, Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is one of the elite receivers in the country and will be a very tough matchup for USC, let alone any team.

On Wasserman’s rankings, Smith sits at the No. 1 spot, and after a strong campaign in 2025, he has clearly earned that recognition. With the Buckeyes last season, Smith recorded 87 receptions for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns while consistently showcasing his talent as one of the hardest receivers to limit in the country.

One of the biggest reasons for Smith's dominance is his large frame, standing at 6-3 and 223 pounds, which makes it very difficult for secondaries to match up. With Smith’s frame, he has the ability to make plays all over the field thanks to a blend of his blend of speed and physicality. His chemistry with quarterback Julian Sayin has made this duo very tough to stop.

As a result of Smith’s traits, defensive coordinator Gary Patterson and the Trojans will have to get very creative on how to limit his effectiveness while also being able to provide resources against the run. No matter how USC chooses to cover Smith, he may still be able to make a few plays that could impact the game and give Ohio State a chance to win.

With this matchup against the Buckeyes looming, USC’s ability to limit Smith could be the key to this game and showcase that Patterson’s defense can limit even the best offenses in the Big Ten.

Charlie Becker, Indiana Hoosiers

Indiana also has one of the top receivers in the country in Charlie Becker, who ranked No. 5 on Wasserman’s list.

During the 2025 season with the Hoosiers, Becker established a great connection with Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza that allowed him to step up in the national championship and make key plays for Indiana throughout their incredible national championship run.

In Becker’s 2025 campaign with Indiana, he totaled 34 receptions for 679 yards and four touchdowns and emerged as one of the Hoosiers’ top offensive weapons. Similar to Smith, Becker also has a larger frame, standing at 6-4 and 204 pounds, which gives him a larger catch radius than most receivers and could continue to develop as a great contested catch option for the Hoosiers.

Heading into next season, Becker will have a new quarterback as TCU transfer Josh Hoover takes over after the departure of Mendoza to the NFL Draft. With that in mind, it will be interesting to see if Becker and Hoover can get on the same page.

In the matchup against Indiana, USC may look to mix up coverages and cornerback alignments to throw off the timing between Becker and Hoover, which could help the Trojans to significantly limit the impact that Becker can have on the game.

If USC’s defense can minimize the impact of Becker on the perimeter for Indiana, the Trojans could be in a great position to win this game and create great momentum heading into the final few games of the regular season.

Dakorien Moore, Oregon Ducks

Early on in the season, Patterson’s defense has a tough test against Oregon and wide receiver Dakorien Moore, ranked No. 9 in in the nation by Wasserman.

Last season, Moore was a freshman, but was able to establish a great connection with quarterback Dante Moore. In Dakorien Moore’s freshman season with the Ducks, he totaled 34 receptions for 497 yards and three touchdowns. Standing at 5-11 and 195 pounds, Moore brings great speed to the receiver position and could potentially break out as one of Dante Moore’s top targets with his ability to create yards after the catch and stretch the defense over the top.

For USC’s defense to limit Dakorien Moore, the Trojans need to generate consistent pressure so Dante Moore cannot get the ball to him over the top of the secondary, and must be wrapped up and have multiple players in the area to make the tackle, otherwise, he may run past the entire defense with his speed.

Based on Dakorien Moore’s skill set, the Trojans ability to limit explosive plays and tackle consistently underneath should help to minimize his impact on the game and could allow USC to pick up a crucial win against Oregon.

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