In the 2025 season, the USC Trojans and coach Lincoln Riley showed they could win games against solid Big Ten competition with wins against Michigan and Iowa, but they still were unable to qualify for the College Football Playoff. However, USC does have plenty of opportunities in 2026 to take the next step forward.
Heading into next season, Riley and the Trojans do have the opportunity to beat some of the top teams in the country, but they must also play consistently in games that USC is favored in. So, with the 2026 season on the horizon, here is one game that USC cannot afford to lose and one game that could turn the tide of the Trojans’ season.
Washington Huskies
One game that USC cannot afford to lose is the matchup at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum with the Washington Huskies, who are a solid team, but are an opponent that the Trojans should be able to defeat.
Based on the schedule that USC has, this game against Washington seems to be a crucial game. A week before the matchup with the Huskies, the Trojans play the Oregon Ducks, who could turn out to be a top-five team in the nation and may be one of USC’s toughest games. If the Trojans are unable to pick up a win against the Ducks, the following week against Washington becomes a game that USC must win.
The key to winning this game could be the performance of quarterback Jayden Maiava, who looks to take another step forward and could become one of the better quarterbacks in the Big Ten. Last season, Maiava had a great showing as he totaled 3,711 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, and completed 65.8 percent of his passes.
For Maiava to take the next step, his ability to grow as a leader could be just as important as his play on the field. Maiava’s ability to get USC focused and prepare for Washington is something that could help Maiava to assert himself as a leader, but also could make a major impact on the result of the Trojans’ season.
Even with USC having the home advantage, there is no doubt that coach Jedd Fisch will have the Huskies ready to play with an opportunity to pull off an upset on the road. Last season, Washington was a solid pass defense as the Huskies allowed 211.3 pass yards per game and ranked 52nd in the country with that performance.
With Washington’s defense in mind, Maiava could be facing a tough defensive unit, but with Riley calling the offense, Maiava should be put in good positions to succeed and potentially take another step forward as Riley’s next great quarterback.
In addition to competing against a solid Washington defense, Maiava will also have an interesting quarterback matchup against Demond Williams who is a solid dual-threat quarterback. If Maiava can outplay Williams, there is a good chance that the Trojans should be able to come out on top.
Maiava should continue to improve and put USC in great positions in this game against Washington’s defense, which should help the Trojans to pick up a win and give USC an opportunity to make the College Football Playoff.
Ohio State Buckeyes
Much later in the season, the Trojans have another tough test as they face the Ohio State Buckeyes at home. Consistently, the Buckeyes, led by coach Ryan Day, are in contention for a Big Ten title and the national title, and are an opponent that will be a major test for USC.
Especially for Riley, this is a game that could go a long way in USC having a successful season. Based on the expectations for the Trojans seeming to ramp up, a win against one of the more prominent teams in the Big Ten and the landscape of college football could be season-altering.
This matchup is also a great opportunity for Maiava to prove that he can compete against one of the top quarterbacks in the country as he plays against Ohio State’s Julian Sayin. At the Collesuim, Maiava should have the support of the home crowd, and the more scoring drives he can lead USC to, the more pressure that will be on Sayin.
However, the Buckeyes could have one of the top defenses in the country in 2026 after having a truly dominant defense last season. During the 2025 season, Ohio State allowed 129.7 passing yards per game, ranking as the top pass defense in the nation and constantly putting opposing quarterbacks under heavy pressure, which led to many mistakes.
Based on what could be a dominant Ohio State pass defense, USC may need to lean on the running game, which could be a strength for the Trojans with the entire starting offensive line returning for the 2026 season. In the backfield, USC also gets the benefit of returning both running backs in Waymond Jordan and King Miller.
The duo was very dynamic as Jordan and Miller totaled 244 carries for 1,548 yards and 13 touchdowns while averaging 6.35 rushing yards per carry. Jordan is coming off an injury, but with the momentum Miller was able to create throughout last season, the Trojans could have one of the more dangerous running back tandems in the Big Ten once Jordan is ready to play.
So, as USC heads into this matchup with Ohio State, Maiava’s ability to stay on pace with Sayin and the Trojans ability to establish the run could be exactly what USC needs to have a chance to win this game and assert themselves as one of the top teams in the Big Ten in 2026.
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