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USC Football 2026 Schedule: Most Hyped Matchup

Chris Trevino USC Trojans footballby: Chris Trevino05/22/26ChrisNTrevino

USC football’s 2026 season opener will be here before we know it. It’s a season with a lot of expectations on head coach Lincoln Riley, entering his fifth season at the helm. The 2026 schedule will be no stroll in the park with many make-or-break games.

We decided to focus on several specific categories when it comes to the 2026 schedule, beginning with The Most Hyped Matchup. This is the game that will have the most juice around it from the fanbase and/or national perspective.

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Most Hyped Matchup: Ohio State (Week 9) 

Location: Coliseum, Los Angeles (Calif.) 

Series: 13-10-1 USC

Last Meeting: 24-7 Ohio State (Arlington, Texas; 2017) (Cotton Bowl)

Rationale

The words USC-Ohio State in the Coliseum are enough to make any college football fan’s hair stand up. That’s how iconic this matchup can be this season between two legit blue blood programs. Ohio State will be making its first trip to the Coliseum since 2008, looking to avenge that 35-3 thrashing.

USC football will be searching for its own payback; some revenge from the 2017 Cotton Bowl and what would be a marquee win for USC’s CFP resume.

Of course, we don’t know what USC football will look like at that point in the season. Will it be an undefeated team? One loss? On its playoff deathbed? Unknown! But the logos and jersey matchups alone make this a can’t miss game, which surely will be a massive recruiting weekend for the Trojans.

Ohio State will be a preseason Top 5 five team and potentially the No. 1 team the country to start the year. The Buckeyes have two tough games at Texas and Indiana before the Trojans, so they could come into this game with some losses. Or they could handle business like the national title contenders that they are and give USC a Top 5 game.

Other Contenders

I think there are several other clear contenders, beginning with the Oregon Ducks. Much like Ohio State, Oregon is a true Big Ten and a national championship contender this season. It is undoubtedly one of biggest games of the season as a West Coast rival, but I think the Ducks fits in a better category later in this series.

The Penn State game gets an honorable mention given what that environment should be like in Happy Valley. The added storyline of former USC DC D’Anton Lynn now being with the Nittany Lions add some fuel to its case. But Penn State won’t be in the CFP hunt in Matt Campbell’s first year like others on USC’s slate.

The road matchup against Indiana is another strong contender given the Hoosiers are the defending national champions. This year’s meeting will be the first since 1982. There will be plenty of national attention around this game, especially if USC football is in the playoff hunt. It would be a massive statement win for the Trojans and Lincoln Riley, especially on the road.

But I think USC-Ohio State still offers a little more sizzle.

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Garry Paskwietz (1966-2019)

Garry Paskwietz was a pioneer in bringing team-specific sports coverage to the internet. He founded WeAreSC in 1998 and was an Emmy winner for his work with Fox Sports West. Always generous with his time, knowledge, and compassion, he touched the lives of countless USC and high school football fans.

Garry Paskwietz