USC Trojans Battle Big Ten Rivals in Recruiting Class Ranking Update

The national rankings of the 2027 recruiting class have shifted once again. The Texas A&M Aggies continue their run as No. 1 while former champions fall and contenders rise in the rankings.

Southern Cal is one of the programs falling in the rankings. While some fans might find it disappointing, it is a testament to the coaching staff’s belief in the class of 2027. This is also just the world of college football – always in flux.

USC Struggles to Maintain National Ranking in Recent Update

USC Trojans Big Ten Recruiting Class of 2027 Lincoln Riley Chad Bowden — USC head coach Lincoln Riley watches a play against Michigan during the first half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

In the June national rankings, the Trojans were able to land in the top-15 – 247Sports had the Trojans at No. 14, On3/Rivals placed them at No. 10, while ESPN had them ranked No. 15. The class has remained at 14 players but boasts nine blue chips, nine players from SC Next 300 (ESPN) and 64 percent of players coming from California.

For the most recent update, July 6, USC was able to hold their No. 15 spot in ESPN’s list but lost footing in Rivals and 247Sports’ national rankings. They are now No. 12 (Rivals) and No. 16 (247Sports).

Head coach Lincoln Riley and general manager Chad Bowden have been honest about the outlook of the 2027 cycle. With a No. 1 overall, 35-player class in 2026, the Trojans had to reel in the NIL spending and didn’t need to focus on depth anymore. Instead, Riley and Bowden have stuck to their new recruiting principles: retain in-state talent and use NIL on premier players.

The Trojans have done exactly that, bringing in perimeter players such as four-star receiver Quentin Hale, five-star athlete Honor Fa’alave-Johnson and four-star cornerbacks Danny Lang and Aaryn Washington. An underrated aspect of the 2027 class is in the trenches, which USC made sure to build up in 2026. The likes of Mekai Brown and Alifeleti “Tolo” Tuihalamaka will be huge additions to the defensive line in the coming future.

USC Rivals Who Rose and Fell

UCLA Bruins Big Ten Recruiting Class of 2027 Bob Chesney — May 2, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins coach Bob Chesney reacts during the spring game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

USC’s crosstown rival, UCLA, was either right behind or a few spots ahead in the June rankings – No. 12 (247Sports), No. 12 (ESPN) and No. 17 (On3/Rivals). UCLA was also fifth in the Big Ten, only trailing USC by two spots.

The Bruins’ 23-player class was able to retain most of their national rankings, keeping the No. 17 spot on Rivals and a No. 12 rank by ESPN. They only fell in 247Sports’ rankings (No. 18). New head coach Bob Chesney adopted a recruiting strategy similar to the Trojans, which made way for the Bruins to land 11 blue chips and 57 percent of in-state talent, per Rivals.

Oregon and Notre Dame continue to duke it out for the No. 2 spot. The Ducks, who have been contending for a national championship the past two seasons, have a 24-player class built of 16 blue chips in the 2027 cycle. Rivals currently has the Ducks at No. 3, 247Sports has them slotted at No. 2, while ESPN has kept them at No. 6.

The Fighting Irish’s 21-player – 17 blue chips – class earned them national ranks of No. 2 (Rivals, ESPN) and No. 3 (247Sports).

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