University Southern California Trojans
Big Ten Conference Reveals 2026 USC Football Schedule
January 27, 2026 | Football
LOS ANGELES—The Big Ten Conference announced USC's 2026 football schedule, today (Jan. 27).
The Trojans will open up the 2026 season with a Week Zero game on Aug. 29 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum with an opponent to be announced at a later date.
USC then welcomes Fresno State of the Mountain West Conference to Southern California on Sept. 5. The Bulldogs, who are led by former USC assistant head coach for defense / linebackers coach Matt Entz, return to the Coliseum for a fifth time in series history. USC is 4-1 all-time against Fresno State (not including 1 win vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 5-1). The Trojans are 37-1-1 versus teams from the Mountain West (not including 2 wins vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 39-1-1).
USC wraps up nonconference play and the team's three-game homestand on Sept. 12 with a matchup against Louisiana. The Ragin' Cajuns, led by head coach Michael Desormeaux, will be a new opponent for the Trojans. USC is 1-0 against teams from the Sun Belt Conference, last defeating Arkansas State on Sept. 5, 2015, in the Coliseum.
USC opens Big Ten Conference play on the road at Rutgers on Sept. 19. The Trojans are 1-0 against the Scarlett Knights, last defeating them 42-20 in the Coliseum in 2024. This will be USC's first trip to Piscataway, N. J. and SHI Stadium.
The Trojans return home to host Oregon on Sept. 26 for the Coliseum's Big Ten opener. USC holds a 38-24-2 all-time lead in its series with Oregon (not including 1 win vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 39-24-2), last falling to the Ducks 27-42 at Autzen Stadium in 2025.
Another home game awaits the Trojans as they welcome a familiar foe, Washington, to Los Angeles on Oct. 3. USC boasts a 51-32-4 record over the Huskies (not including 1 win vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 52-32-4), last falling to them 21-26 in Seattle in 2024.
USC then travels back to the east coast to challenge Penn State and new head coach Matt Campbell on Oct. 10. The Trojans have not visited Happy Valley since 1994. USC leads the series with the Nittany Lions 6-5 all-time, last falling to them 30-33 in an overtime game in the Coliseum in 2024.
After enjoying a bye week Oct. 17, USC travels to Wisconsin on Oct. 24. The Trojans are 7-1 versus the Badgers, last defeating them 38-21 in the Coliseum in 2024.
The Trojans return home to welcome Ohio State to the Coliseum on Halloween, Oct. 31. USC is 13-10-1 against the Buckeyes, last falling to them 7-24 in the 2017 Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
After its second bye week on Nov. 7, USC travels to Bloomington, Ind. to challenging the reigning national champions, Indiana, on Nov. 14. The Trojans boast a 4-0 record over the Hoosiers and haven't visited Bloomington since 1981 when the Trojans defeated Indiana 21-0.
USC returns to the West Coast for its final home game of the 2026 campaign on Nov. 21, welcoming Maryland to the Coliseum for the first time. USC is 0-1 versus the Terrapins, falling to them 28-29 in 2024.
USC wraps Big Ten play by challenging crosstown rival UCLA and new Bruin head coach Bob Chesney on Nov. 28 at the Rose Bowl. USC leads its series with UCLA, 52-34-7 (not including Troy's 2004 and 2005 victories that were vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 54-34-7).
The 2025 season will conclude with the annual Big Ten Football Championship Game on Dec. 5, which will feature the top two teams in the overall conference standings at the end of the regular season, with the winner earning the Big Ten Championship. Tiebreaking procedures will be announced at a later date.
Trojan fans interested in purchasing tickets for USC's 2026 season can click here for more information.
The Trojans will open up the 2026 season with a Week Zero game on Aug. 29 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum with an opponent to be announced at a later date.
USC then welcomes Fresno State of the Mountain West Conference to Southern California on Sept. 5. The Bulldogs, who are led by former USC assistant head coach for defense / linebackers coach Matt Entz, return to the Coliseum for a fifth time in series history. USC is 4-1 all-time against Fresno State (not including 1 win vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 5-1). The Trojans are 37-1-1 versus teams from the Mountain West (not including 2 wins vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 39-1-1).
USC wraps up nonconference play and the team's three-game homestand on Sept. 12 with a matchup against Louisiana. The Ragin' Cajuns, led by head coach Michael Desormeaux, will be a new opponent for the Trojans. USC is 1-0 against teams from the Sun Belt Conference, last defeating Arkansas State on Sept. 5, 2015, in the Coliseum.
USC opens Big Ten Conference play on the road at Rutgers on Sept. 19. The Trojans are 1-0 against the Scarlett Knights, last defeating them 42-20 in the Coliseum in 2024. This will be USC's first trip to Piscataway, N. J. and SHI Stadium.
The Trojans return home to host Oregon on Sept. 26 for the Coliseum's Big Ten opener. USC holds a 38-24-2 all-time lead in its series with Oregon (not including 1 win vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 39-24-2), last falling to the Ducks 27-42 at Autzen Stadium in 2025.
Another home game awaits the Trojans as they welcome a familiar foe, Washington, to Los Angeles on Oct. 3. USC boasts a 51-32-4 record over the Huskies (not including 1 win vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 52-32-4), last falling to them 21-26 in Seattle in 2024.
USC then travels back to the east coast to challenge Penn State and new head coach Matt Campbell on Oct. 10. The Trojans have not visited Happy Valley since 1994. USC leads the series with the Nittany Lions 6-5 all-time, last falling to them 30-33 in an overtime game in the Coliseum in 2024.
After enjoying a bye week Oct. 17, USC travels to Wisconsin on Oct. 24. The Trojans are 7-1 versus the Badgers, last defeating them 38-21 in the Coliseum in 2024.
The Trojans return home to welcome Ohio State to the Coliseum on Halloween, Oct. 31. USC is 13-10-1 against the Buckeyes, last falling to them 7-24 in the 2017 Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
After its second bye week on Nov. 7, USC travels to Bloomington, Ind. to challenging the reigning national champions, Indiana, on Nov. 14. The Trojans boast a 4-0 record over the Hoosiers and haven't visited Bloomington since 1981 when the Trojans defeated Indiana 21-0.
USC returns to the West Coast for its final home game of the 2026 campaign on Nov. 21, welcoming Maryland to the Coliseum for the first time. USC is 0-1 versus the Terrapins, falling to them 28-29 in 2024.
USC wraps Big Ten play by challenging crosstown rival UCLA and new Bruin head coach Bob Chesney on Nov. 28 at the Rose Bowl. USC leads its series with UCLA, 52-34-7 (not including Troy's 2004 and 2005 victories that were vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 54-34-7).
The 2025 season will conclude with the annual Big Ten Football Championship Game on Dec. 5, which will feature the top two teams in the overall conference standings at the end of the regular season, with the winner earning the Big Ten Championship. Tiebreaking procedures will be announced at a later date.
Trojan fans interested in purchasing tickets for USC's 2026 season can click here for more information.
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