USC sits 7-2 and No. 20 in first CFP rankings before Indiana trip
The gist
USC's football team is 7-2 and debuted at No. 20 in the first College Football Playoff rankings.
The Trojans' playoff hopes likely hinge on games at Indiana and UCLA.
How it unfolded
- Jan 27, 2026The Big Ten Conference announced USC's 2026 schedule, opening with a Week Zero game on Aug. 29 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum against San José State.
- Aug 29, 2026USC beat San Jose State 42-26.
- Sep 3, 2026 /4, 2026USC beat Fresno State 39-0; sources list the game as Friday, Sept. 3 in one and Friday, Sept. 4 in another.
Key terms
- CFP rankings
- A weekly ranking released midseason that determines which teams qualify for the college football playoff.
- College Football Playoff
- An annual single-elimination tournament determining the national champion of NCAA Division I FBS college football.
- bye
- A scheduled week when a team or player does not play a match while others do.
Source: Wikipedia