Historic college football program predicted to make splash with No. 1 recruiting class

The battle for the top college football recruiting class is heating up, and one Big Ten program has the early edge in the rankings.

Nov 22, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley and Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning greet each other after the game at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

The college football recruiting scene is heating up as the early signing period began on Wednesday. There is one program who has emerged as the early favorite to land the top college football recruiting class for 2026.

In the SEC, LSU's Lane Kiffin is already hard at work to retain a commitment from defensive tackle Lamar Brown, the consensus No. 1 recruit in the 2026 class. Yet, the top recruiting class is projected to come from outside the SEC.

USC landing Rivals No. 1 edge Luke Wafle was maybe the biggest recruiting win of the cycle. https://t.co/yRwmdCQuHv

— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong_) December 3, 2025

Lincoln Riley has things cranking at USC as the Trojans are the favorites to land the top recruiting class. Both On3 and ESPN project USC to have the top recruiting class, but there are additional programs chasing the Trojans.

USC has a composite score of 93.5 in On3's Industry Rankings, just ahead of Notre Dame (93.2), Oregon (93.1), Georgia (92.9) and Ohio State (92.9).

Here's what you need to know about the battle for college football's top recruiting class.

USC has commitments from 20 four-star recruits

USC only has one five-star commitment but stacked up 20 four-star commits, per On3. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) five-star tight end Mark Bowman headlines the Trojans loaded class.

Additionally, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) offensive tackle Keenyi Pepe and Archbishop (Akron, Ohio) cornerback Elbert Hill are among USC's top recruits. ESPN's Craig Haubert outlined why the Trojans have the top-rated recruiting class.

A look at all 18 SC Next 300 commits that make up the No. 1 ranked recruiting class in the country for USC ✌️@ByEliLederman breaks down how the Trojans assembled one of the deepest and most talented classes in recent memory. https://t.co/mA6yp1DJMu pic.twitter.com/Dv7D4myPlH

— Billy Tucker (@TheUCReport) December 2, 2025

"No program has more 2026 momentum than USC under Lincoln Riley, especially after hiring general manager Chad Bowden away from Notre Dame," Haubert wrote on Tuesday. "The Trojans have double-digit SC Next 300 commits, with several joining the list since January.

"That includes two five-stars to start May in Pepe and Hill, and a pair of four-star commits who flipped from Big Ten rival Oregon: in-state defensive lineman Tomuhini Topui and quarterback Jonas Williams. Topui is a physical, aggressive defensive tackle who could develop into an interior pass-rushing headache for opposing offenses, and Williams is a true dual-threat signal-caller."

Can Notre Dame, Georgia or another top college football program catch USC in the recruiting rankings?

It will be interesting to see if another top college football program can chase down USC. Georgia took a hit with the class' consensus top quarterback Jared Curtis flipping from the Dawgs to Vanderbilt.

For now, USC is on a recruiting heater with no signs of slowing down. The Trojans finished the regular season at 9-3, Riley's best record at USC since 2022.