Three Critical Games For USC's Desman Stephens Next Season

Heading into 2026, the USC Trojans have several holes to fill on the defensive side of the ball with several players from last season set to begin their NFL careers. Based on the roster turnover the Trojans have on defense, linebacker Desman Stephens II could be stepping into a major role next season as one of the more important players returning in 2026.

With Stephens returning for USC's defense in 2026, three games in particular could be critical for his development, but also for how USC’s season ends up.

Three Critical Games For USC Trojans Linebacker Desman Stephens II Next Season Penn State Indiana UCLA Big Ten — Sep 13, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Boilermakers wide receiver Michael Jackson III (2) is tackled by USC Trojans linebacker Desman Stephens II (23) during the second half at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Oct. 10 at Penn State Nittany Lions

Throughout next season, the Trojans have several tough tests, but one of the hardest may be the road matchup with the Penn State Nittany Lions. Without a doubt, Penn State has one of the more difficult environments to play in, especially when it comes to primetime, where the crowd participates in a whiteout and often fills the stadium with passionate fans who routinely disrupt visiting teams.

With USC entering an environment like this, Stephens could have a crucial role in ensuring the defense specifically stays focused and is able to limit the distractions. While the game itself can be very difficult to manage, the preparation leading up to it could be even more important, which is why Stephens’ experience over his first two college seasons could be vital.

With the experience Stephens has, he must showcase his ability to make plays all across the field to help the defense and the team as a whole get comfortable in what seems to be a very uncomfortable environment for road teams.

After back-to-back matchups against Oregon and Washington at home, this road trip to Penn State could be a critical point in the season where coach Lincoln Riley needs help to keep the team focused while looking to players like Stephens to step up as a leader.

In addition to limiting the distractions, USC is going against a Penn State team that also has something to prove with Matt Campbell now being the head coach, hoping to find success in year one with the Nittany Lions.

If Stephens can help the team to stay focused, step up as a leader, and showcase his ability all across the field to make key plays in the game, this could be a great opportunity for USC to win a difficult game on the road and give themselves the confidence to compete in the Big Ten throughout the rest of the season.

Nov. 14 at Indiana Hoosiers

In the later part of the season, Stephens and the Trojans have arguably one of the most difficult games on the schedule as they travel across the country to play the Indiana Hoosiers, who are coming off a national championship victory. Under coach Curt Cignetti, the Hoosiers have become one of the more disciplined teams in college football and have a clear mindset of how they want to compete on the offensive side of the ball.

Last season, Indiana consistently dominated the line of scrimmage as it averaged 212.08 rush yards per game, which ranked 12th in the country. On the other side, USC has room to grow as a rush defense after allowing 143.23 rush yards per game, ranking 58th in the country in 2025.

Based on USC’s need to improve as a rush defense, this could be a great opportunity for Stephens to step up in what could be the Trojans' most important game of the season against a national championship contender. In Stephens 2025 campaign, he recorded 89 tackles and three tackles for loss, which showcased his ability to generate negative plays as well as fly all over the field to make tackles when USC’s defense needed someone to make a play.

In a game where physicality is required to have success, Stephen’s ability to make plays all across the field and generate negative plays in the backfield could be something that not only determines USC‘s success against Indiana but also if the Trojans have the physicality to hold up through a daunting Big Ten schedule.

Nov. 28 at UCLA Bruins

In the last game of the season, like every year, USC will play the UCLA Bruins in one of the more classic rivalries in all of college football. Heading into 2026, UCLA has experienced a significant amount of change with Bob Chesney taking over as the head coach for the Bruins to turn the program around.

During rivalry games, experience plays a crucial role, and after the significant losses that USC suffered on the defensive side, it is up to Stephens to help the Trojans understand the importance of this game, but also how to prepare for it.

With UCLA being the final game on USC's schedule, this is a matchup that could go a long way in determining the Big Ten standings, as well as whether USC can finally qualify for the College Football Playoff.

In 2026, USC has a very tough schedule with matchups against Oregon, Ohio State, and Indiana, who are all teams that should be competing near the top of the Big Ten and potentially for a national title. Based on the difficulty of the Trojans schedule, USC may be heading into this game against UCLA needing to secure a victory to feel comfortable about their finish to the regular season.

Over the past few seasons, Riley and the Trojans have been unable to crack through and qualify for the playoff, but this season seems like a great opportunity for USC to do just that, which is why Stephens' experience and performance are such critical factors against the Bruins.

If Stephens can use his experience to help prepare USC‘s defense and make plays all game long for the Trojans, this is an opportunity for USC to not just win a rivalry game, but potentially put themselves back on track to be national championship contenders.

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