Rece Davis Refuses to Give Up on Big Ten Powerhouse’s CFP Hopes After Rocky Start

The 6-1 Trojans still face Ohio State, Indiana and UCLA as the ESPN host weighs who joins two Big Ten favorites in the playoff field.

ESPN host Rece Davis sits on the College GameDay set before a Big 12 Conference football game | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

ESPN College GameDay host Rece Davis still considers USC a candidate to join Ohio State and Indiana in the College Football Playoff after the Trojans survived a White Out crowd at Penn State and moved to 6-1.

Davis expects the Big Ten to send three teams to the playoff, and he left room for USC to claim the third bid. “I haven’t lost total faith in USC yet,” Davis said during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. “That was a big win for them on the road against Penn State.”

Why does Davis still trust USC?

Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches against the Fresno State Bulldogs | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Davis tied his faith in the Trojans to where the win happened. “I know Penn State’s struggling, but Lincoln Riley’s had all kinds of trouble in the Eastern time zone,” Davis said. “You go to the East Coast, you win in the White Out. Really big win for them.”

USC beat the Nittany Lions 31-23 on Oct. 10 in front of 114,419 fans at Beaver Stadium. Head coach Matt Campbell’s Penn State dropped to 3-3 and 0-3 in Big Ten play, but the Trojans still had to close out a game in one of the sport’s loudest road venues. USC head coach Lincoln Riley called it one of his “favorite wins” and said afterward that his group is just scratching the surface.

The take fits a position Davis has held all season. He named USC his surprise playoff team in late August behind quarterback Jayden Maiava, and last week he urged USC to be careful before making a coaching change.

Ohio State and Indiana lead Big Ten

Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti looks on during the first half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Davis believes the conference’s crowded middle will thin out as league play continues. He said his theory is “not exactly rocket science, but if you’re not good enough, a loss will find you.”

“If you’re not elite, you’re going to lose to somebody that maybe you shouldn’t because you have to bring your A-game to beat the better teams,” Davis said.

He’s confident about the top two. “I feel very certain about who two of them will be, and they play Saturday in Bloomington,” Davis said.

No. 4 Ohio State (5-1) visits No. 5 Indiana (6-0) at noon ET Saturday on Fox. The Hoosiers beat the Buckeyes 13-10 in the 2025 Big Ten Championship Game, and Ohio State’s only loss this season came at Texas in Week 2.

The race for the third spot is more crowded. UCLA is 5-0 and climbed to No. 12 after winning at Oregon, Iowa sits at No. 17 and Northwestern entered the poll at No. 25. Oregon fell out of the AP Top 25 for the first time in four years.

How can USC secure CFP bid?

Southern California Trojans running back King Miller (8) runs the ball into the end zone for a touchdown during the third quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Trojans’ shaky stretch came in their Big Ten home opener, a 41-27 loss to Oregon on Sept. 26 that was USC’s fifth straight defeat to the Ducks. The Los Angeles program followed with a 25-21 win over Washington before the trip to Happy Valley.

The rest of the schedule offers chances to prove Davis right. After this week’s bye, USC plays at Wisconsin on Oct. 24, hosts Ohio State on Oct. 31, travels to Indiana on Nov. 14, hosts Maryland on Nov. 21 and closes at UCLA on Nov. 28.

Beating Wisconsin, Maryland and UCLA while splitting the Ohio State and Indiana games would leave USC at 10-2 with a top-five win on its resume.