Two Trap Games That Could Impact USC's Playoff Hopes

The USC Trojans are entering the 2026 season with high expectations and an even heavier schedule. An undefeated home slate at the Coliseum and a No. 20 final AP ranking last season showed progress, but road struggles ultimately kept the Trojans out of the College Football Playoff.

This season things look different. Trojans coach Lincoln Riley’s group is widely viewed as one of the most talented in the country. According to 247Sports, the Trojans currently sit at No. 5 in the nation in the 2026 class rankings, including incoming transfers.

Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley (right) talks with quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) in the second half against the UCLA Bruins at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

However, as college football fans know all too well, in the Big Ten it’s anyone’s game, and talent alone rarely protects teams from slipping up in games they are expected to win.

That is where USC’s trap games come into focus.

The Trojans are projected to face one of the more demanding schedules in the nation, with matchups against programs like the Penn State Nittany Lions, Ohio State Buckeyes, Oregon Ducks, and Washington Huskies. But while those games will define the top end of USC’s season, it is the overlooked stretches in between that could quietly determine whether the Trojans live up to the hype they’ve been generating all offseason.

These are USC’s biggest trap games in 2026:

Trap 1: Cross-country trip to Rutgers

Nov 29, 2025; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis (16) fights for yards as Penn State Nittany Lions cornerback Zion Tracy (7) pursues during the second half at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The first trap comes early in conference play on the road against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.

On paper, this is a game USC should have control of. The Trojans will likely enter it off a strong start to the season, possibly undefeated after a favorable non-conference stretch. But the timing and setting make it a little more tricky than it may seem.

It is USC’s first Big Ten road trip of the year, meaning a cross-country flight, an unfamiliar environment, and potentially an earlier kickoff on the East Coast. Those factors alone have historically challenged West Coast teams adjusting to Big Ten play.

What makes it even more dangerous is what follows. Right after Rutgers, USC returns home for a crucial stretch featuring Oregon and Washington, which could impose a very big “look-ahead” factor.

If there is one game where focus can slip, it is this one. A slow start or lack of urgency could turn a “should-win” into a tight fourth quarter, and USC’s 2025 road inconsistency shows just how quickly that can spiral.

Trap 2: Terrapins visit the Coliseum

Maryland's Taulia Tagovailoa (3) looks to throw during the Indiana versus Maryland football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022. Iu Md Fb 1h Tagovailoa 1 | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

Later in the season, USC faces another potential landmine when the Maryland Terrapins come to the Coliseum.

At first glance, it looks like one of the more manageable Big Ten home games on the schedule. USC has been strong at home under Riley, and the Trojans could very well be in the playoff conversation by November. That is exactly what makes this matchup dangerous.

Timing is everything, and football schedules are no exception. This matchup comes immediately after a physical road game against reigning national champion Indiana and sits right before a massive rivalry game against UCLA.

Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley celebrates with fans after the game against the UCLA Bruins at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

USC has already experienced how tricky Maryland can be. In their first and only meeting back in 2024, the Trojans controlled the game late before watching a fourth-quarter lead disappear in a one-point loss that disrupted momentum for the rest of the season.

This time, Maryland could arrive with nothing to lose and everything to gain as a spoiler. For USC, it could either be a playoff-clinching opportunity or the exact type of game that ends it.

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