USC Trojans Women's Basketball Star Named Tunnel Captain vs. Michigan

On Saturday, Oct. 11, the USC Trojans will face the No. 15 Michigan Wolverines. USC is 4-1, looking to bounce back from a loss in week 5. The Trojans will return home to the L.A. Memorial Coliseum. USC has announced that one of the most prolific women's basketball players, JuJu Watkins, will be the tunnel captain.

Sep 27, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley before an NCAA football game with the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium. | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans will face the No. 15 Michigan Wolverines on Saturday, Oct. 11, for a week 7 matchup. The Trojans are 4-1, looking to turn things around coming off a bye week. It will also be a home game, held at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum.

The Trojans have yet to lose a home game this season as they look for a big win against a ranked opponent. With it being a home game, the USC Trojans have officially announced who will be the tunnel captain against the Michigan Wolverines. 

USC women’s basketball star guard JuJu Watkins will lead the Trojans out of the tunnel on Saturday ahead of a big matchup against the Wolverines.

JuJu Watkins: Tunnel Captain

Mar 24, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) during pregame warmups before an NCAA Tournament second round game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Watkins is one of the most notable college basketball stars in the country, having just completed her sophomore season with the program. Watkins has helped bring the Trojans much success, and could be a spark for the football program looking for a bounce-back win.

Mar 22, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) during the second quarter of an NCAA Tournament game against the UNC Greensboro Spartans at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Watkins is one of the most prolific women’s college basketball players in the nation. The USC Trojans women’s basketball team had a strong 2024-2025 season, but Watkins' time was unfortunately cut short.

In the second round of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, Watkins suffered a season-ending ACL tear. It was a tough blow for USC, as the Women of Troy had a big chance of winning the tournament. With the injury occurring late in the year, Watkins will miss the entirety of the 2025-2026 season.

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“These last few months have been filled with a lot of healing rest and reflection. Recovering from this injury hasn’t been easy, and I want to say thank you,” Watkins said on Instagram. “I will sit out this season and fully focus on continuing to recover so I can come back to the game I love.”

Feb 13, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) and head coach Lindsay Gottlieb during the second half against the UCLA Bruins at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Despite a heartbreaking end to the season, Watkins had a highly successful season as one of the best players of the year. She won both the AP Player of the Year award, the Wooden Award, and the Dawn Staley Award. She was also named to the Big Ten All-Defensive Team and First Team All-Big Ten.

Watkins is now a two-time consensus First-Team All-American, among several other accolades. Watkins is coming off a season averaging 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.2 steals, and 1.8 blocks.

Ahead of her injury, she led the Trojans to a 30-3 record, helping the team win the Big Ten regular season title in USC’s first year in the conference. She also helped the program earn the No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament for the second season in a row.

Dec 10, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) celebrates with head coach Lindsay Gottlieb in the fourth quarter against the Fresno State Bulldogs at Galen Center. USC defeated Fresno State 89-40. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Watkins has done more for USC than just help them win games on the court. In just two seasons, Watkins became a high-profile player who helped sell out games, not just at the Galen Center, but even as the visiting team. People across the country attended games to see Watkins play, which helped the Trojans no matter where the team played.

While USC fans will not get to see Watkins take the court this season, they will be able to see hear lead the football team out of the tunnel on Saturday. Watkins can bring a high level of excitement through the Coliseum ahead of the matchup against Michigan.

The USC Trojans and Michigan Wolverines will kick off from the Coliseum at 4:30 p.m. PT.