Three Looming Trap Games On the USC Trojans' Schedule

Looking to reach the College Football Playoff in a pivotal fifth season under coach Lincoln Riley and expected to face a gauntlet 2026 Big Ten schedule, there are three games that the USC Trojans can't afford to overlook.

Oct 14, 2023; South Bend, Indiana, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley talks on his headset in the third quarter against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium. | Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Entering their fifth season under coach Lincoln Riley, the USC Trojans have high expectations to reach the College Football Playoff, following a 9-4 overall record in 2025. In addition to the return of USC starting quarterback Jayden Maiava and several star players on both sides of the offense, it has been a very productive offseason for the Trojans. 

Riley made several changes to his team, including hiring new defensive coordinator Gary Patterson and adding several impactful transfers, which USC fans are hoping will help the Trojans get over the hump.

Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) and head coach Lincoln Riley react 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

While the Trojans are expected to face a challenging Big Ten schedule in 2026 that features pivotal matchups both at and away from the Coliseum, some games that fans may overlook could cause the team to slip up if they aren’t careful. Here are three potential trap games looming on the Trojans 2026 schedule.

vs Washington (Oct. 3)

Dec 13, 2025; Inglewood, CA, USA; Washington Huskies quarterback Demond Williams Jr. (2) warms up prior to the LA Bowl Game against the Boise State Broncos at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Despite hosting Washington at the Coliseum this season, the Huskies have always been a tough team for the Trojans to beat. The two former Pac-12 rivals have had some iconic moments throughout their series history, and the 2026 matchup is likely to give fans another exciting game. 

The Huskies are set to return starting quarterback Demond Williams Jr., who last season for Washington threw for 3,065 yards, 25 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. The Huskies have won three straight games over the Trojans dating back to 2019 and look to make it four in a row on Oct. 3.

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USC is scheduled to play Washington a week after their high-stakes Big Ten opener against quarterback Dante Moore and the Oregon Ducks at the Coliseum, another rival the Trojans have struggled to beat recently.    

at Wisconsin (Oct. 24) 

Nov 22, 2025; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell talks to his team during the second half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kayla Wolf-Imagn Images | Kayla Wolf-Imagn Images

Wisconsin didn’t have the brightest season in 2025, finishing with a 4-8 record and 2-7 in the Big Ten. Despite one of their worst seasons in recent memory, the Badgers opted to retain Luke Fickell.

Regardless of their recent struggles, Camp Randall has always been and still is a tough place for opposing teams to play. There’s nothing more intimidating than for an opposing team at Camp Randall trailing entering the fourth quarter and “Jump Around” plays. Just ask the Washington Huskies and Illinois Fighting Illini, two ranked Big Ten teams that fell to the Badgers last season.

The Trojans aim to avoid that fate when they face the Badgers on Oct. 24 after what could be their bye week or a matchup against their third yet-to-be announced non-conference opponent for the 2026 season.   

at UCLA (Nov. 28)   

Jan 31, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head football coach Bob Chesney is introduced during the basketball game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

In what could be the final rivalry matchup between the UCLA Bruins and USC Trojans at the Rose Bowl, new head coach Bob Chesney’s group will look to make a statement in year one with a crosstown rivalry win. 

Chesney arrives at UCLA from James Madison, looking to revitalize the Bruins program the same way that his Dukes predecessor, Curt Cignetti, did with the Indiana Hoosiers. Chesney is making some hefty promises to the Bruins fanbase in year one, going so far as saying that UCLA will win the Big Ten. 

With Chesney's great coaching reputation, the Bruins have a chance to be the most improved team in the conference next season as they are set to return starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava. Upsetting the Trojans would be a signature win for the Bruins, as next year’s crosstown rivalry game has the potential to be an exciting matchup.