Updated Recruiting Rankings: USC Trojans Trail SEC Powerhouse for Most Blue-Chip Commits

The USC Trojans and coach Lincoln Riley have arguably the top recruiting class for 2026 along with the Georgia Bulldogs and coach Kirby Smart. How many blue-chip recruits have each of these schools received the commitments from?

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

The USC Trojans have one of the top 2026 recruiting classes. USC has been going back and forth with the Georgia Bulldogs for the top ranked class of 2026. 

How many blue chip commitments have USC coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans received so far?

USC's Blue-Chip Loaded 2026 Recruiting Class

Dec 27, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts against the Texas A&M Aggies in the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans have received commitments from 22 blue-chip 2026 recruits per Rivals. The only team ahead of them are the Georgia Bulldogs with 24. Here are the other schools with the most commitments from 2026 blue-chip recruits. 

Teams with the most 2026 blue-chip commits⭐️ https://t.co/TjVzQyMxKo pic.twitter.com/tzJ1LO9RDO

— Rivals (@Rivals) September 4, 2025

Georgis Bulldogs, 24

USC Trojans, 22

Texas A&M Aggies, 21

Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 20

Miami Hurricanes, 16

Oregon Ducks, 15

Texas Longhorns, 15

Ohio State Buckeyes, 14

Michigan Wolverines, 14

Florida Gators, 14

Florida State Seminoles, 14

Tennessee Volunteers, 14

Georgia coach Kirby Smart celebrates with his team after a touchdown during the first half of a NCAA college football game against Marshall in Athens, Ga., on Saturday, August. 30, 2025. | Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

USC has the commitments from two-five stars, 20 four-stars, and 10 three-stars. The top two commits are the five-stars; tight end Mark Bowman and offensive tackle Keenyi Pepe. 

On3 ranks USC as having the No. 1 recruiting class for 2026 with Georgia right behind them at No. 2. This is On3's most updated top 10 rankings of the 2026 recruiting classes.

1. USC Trojans

2. Georgia Bulldogs

3. Oregon Ducks

4. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

5. Texas Longhorns

6. Texas A&M Aggies

7. Alabama Crimson Tide

8. Tennessee Volunteers

9. Ohio State Buckeyes

10. Michigan Wolverines

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2026 Recruiting Class a Sign of Things to Come?

Aug 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Big Ten Network reporter Rhett Lewis (right) interviews Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley after the game against the Missouri State Bears at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans are on pace to have the best recruiting class since Lincoln Riley took over as coach in 2022. The past two recruiting cycles have not cracked the top 10 in the nation, but that looks to be changing in 2026.

Is this a sign that USC could be getting back to being a contender for conference and national titles sooner rather than later? Trojans fans certainly hope so, but there is still a long road in front of them.

USC was the premier college football program back in the 2000's under coach Pete Carroll. The Trojans won the Pac-10 conference seven straight times with four Rose Bowl victories and two national championships. Since 2008, USC has won only one conference championship. This was in 2017 under coach Clay Helton, where the Trojans won the Pac-12 and the Rose Bowl.

Riley was hired by USC to get them back to these heights. USC has still yet to make a College Football Playoff since the format was adopted in 2014. Now, it has increased from four teams to 12 and it may end up being with more teams than that in the near future. Could 2025 be the first CFP appearance for the Trojans?