USC Trojans 2026 College Football Preview, Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions

By Nate Weitzer | May 22, 2026, 8:19pm

With 18 Sportscenter Next 300 commits coming aboard, the USC Trojans have the top recruiting class ahead of the 2026-27 season per ESPN. The Trojans did lose four-star receiver Eli Woodward, but will still introduce a stable of talented receivers to work with returning quarterback Jayden Maiava.

Offensive tackle Keenyi Pepe (6-7, 320) bolsters the Trojans line in front of Maiava, who passed for 3,711 yards last season to lead the Big Ten. USC also returns a two-headed backfield monster with stud sophomore King Miller alongside veteran Waymond Jordan as he returns from injury.

The Trojans defense will be coached by Gary Patterson, who was recently named to the College Football Hall of Fame, and is the all-time winningest coach at TCU, having led the program to the nation’s best total defense in three straight seasons from 2008-10. Patterson’s defense will have tons of talent up front with Jahkeem Stewart and Kameryn Crawford returning and five-star defensive end Luke Wafle ready to debut.

2026 College Football Betting Resources

USC 2026 College Football National Championship Odds

National Title Odds:

The Trojans have enough talent to make some noise and potentially make the CFB Playoff for the first time. The odds of USC paying off a bet at 35/1 to win the national championship are slim, but there are still betting opportunities to consider for the Trojans this postseason.

Sportsbooks are offering +270 odds on USC to make the CFB Playoff, something is certainly achievable if they perform well against a Top-20 schedule. The Trojans are getting preseason odds of +430 to win a CFB Playoff game and reach the quarterfinals, which might be worth a wager. That is as far as we would take USC, though, so a national championship bet is not advised.

Bet: No

USC 2026 Big Ten Championship Odds

Big Ten Title Odds:

There is a clear drop-off in the Big Ten from top-tier national title contenders Ohio State, Indiana, and Oregon, to USC, which holds the fourth-shortest odds to win the conference.

If USC is able to beat some of the top teams in the Big Ten, with home matchups against Ohio State and Oregon and a road test at Indiana, the Trojans would draw serious consideration for the CFB Playoff. Could they win two of those games, and secure wins at Penn State and Wisconsin to potentially make the Big Ten Championship? That seems like a longshot. So again, we prefer looking at USC to make the CFB Playoff.

Bet: No

USC 2026 Win Total Odds

Win Total Odds:

Since the Trojans have a tough schedule, there is juice to the under on their projected total of 8.5 wins. They play eight of the top 10 teams in the Big Ten according to preseason odds to win the conference, and three of those final five games are on the road.

If USC can start 4-0 with three relatively easy nonconference games and a league opener at Rutgers, the Trojans will have a good shot to push for the over. It could come down to a season finale at UCLA, which would provide great theater.

Bet: Yes – Over

USC 2026 Heisman Contenders, Odds

Jayden Maiava, QB:

Maiava is a legitimate Heisman contender as he comes off a stellar campaign in the Big Ten. The junior will have to find new targets with Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane drafted to the NFL, but three freshmen (Trent Mosley, Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, and Boobie Feaster) are expected to make noise right away. Now in his third season with Lincoln Riley, Maiava could put it all together and become the fourth signal caller to earn the Heisman while being coached by Riley.

Bet: Yes – Jayden Maiava

USC 2026 College Football Schedule

Sat., 8/29 – vs. San Jose State
Fri., 9/4 – vs. Fresno State
Sat., 9/12 – vs. Louisiana
Sat., 9/19 – at Rutgers
Sat., 9/26 – vs. Oregon
Sat., 10/3 – vs. Washington
Sat., 10/10 – at Penn State
Sat., 10/24 – at Wisconsin
Sat., 10/31 – vs. Ohio State
Sat., 11/14 – at Indiana
Sat., 11/21 – vs. Maryland
Sat., 11/28 – at UCLA

Photo Credit: AP/Lydia Ely

Nate Weitzer

Nate Weitzer has been covering sports betting and daily fantasy sports at Catena Media for nearly a decade, focusing primarily on NBA and NFL content. He is the co-host of the NBA and NFL Coast 2 Coast show on the Lineups YouTube channel, where he provides daily picks and prop bets alongside co-host Josh Lander. He also runs the NFL premium content channel at LandYourBets.com. In addition to his duties at Catena, Weitzer is a high school sports reporter for The Boston Globe and a freelance writer for other outlets, covering stories ranging from high school championships to ski mountaineering races. He graduated from Boston University’s MS in Sports Journalism program in 2012.