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USC Has to Make the Playoff This Year
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USC Has to Make the Playoff This Year
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USC enters 2026 with one of the highest ceilings in the Big Ten. We voted them No. 8 in our AP Top 25 ballot. Jayden Maiava is back after a full season as the starter, Lincoln Riley still has the pieces for another top-tier offense, and a talented group of young receivers has a chance to emerge around an experienced offensive line and backfield.
In this USC football preview, we discuss whether Maiava can take another step, what Gary Patterson can realistically change on defense in Year 1, and whether the Trojans can survive one of the toughest schedules in the country. Oregon and Ohio State come to Los Angeles, while road trips to Penn State and Indiana make the path to the College Football Playoff anything but simple.
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15 minutes.