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USC Trojans Ranked No. 13 in 2026 FPI
11 Jul
Summary
- USC ranked 13th nationally and 4th in Big Ten by ESPN's FPI.
- Quarterback Jayden Maiava returns for his senior season.
- Gary Patterson hired as defensive coordinator for 2026.
The USC Trojans have been placed at No. 13 in ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI) rankings for the 2026 college football season. This places them as the fourth-highest ranked team within the Big Ten conference.
USC is coming off a 9-4 record in 2025. A significant factor for the 2026 season is the return of starting quarterback Jayden Maiava, who will be a redshirt senior. He threw for 3,711 yards with 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions last season.
Further bolstering the team's prospects is the hiring of Gary Patterson as defensive coordinator. Patterson brings extensive experience from his tenure as head coach of the TCU Horned Frogs. The team also secured the nation's No. 1 high school recruiting class for 2026.
USC faces a challenging schedule, with games against the three higher-ranked Big Ten teams: Ohio State, Oregon, and Indiana. The Trojans are given +240 odds to make the College Football Playoff.
