College football season is rapidly approaching, with fall camp underway. We’re going through Indiana’s schedule to look ahead at all 12 opponents for 2026.
-
- Opponent: USC
- Date/Time/TV: Saturday, November 14, TBD
- Location: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, Indiana
- 2025 record/postseason result: 9-4, 7-2 Big Ten (30-27 loss to TCU in the Alamo Bowl)
- Overall returning production: 64 percent (per Bill Connelly/ESPN) (No. 16 in the country, seventh in the Big Ten)
Returning production, offense: 64 percent (per Bill Connelly/ESPN) (26th in the country)
Offensive outlook: Head coach Lincoln Riley remains the team’s playcaller. The offense has generally not been the problem under Riley. The Trojans finished No. 13 in 2025 at 35.8 points per game. They’ve been above 30 points per game in each of his seasons in Los Angeles, and above 40 per game twice.
USC finished No. 55 at 169.5 rushing yards per game in 2025, and No. 5 at 296 passing yards a contest. Riley favored the passing game because he has one of the nation’s best quarterbacks. Jordan Maiava is a legitimate Heisman contender this year after he completed 65.8% of his throws for 3,711 yards with 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 2025. The 6-foot-4 Maiava is a threat on the ground as well. He had six rushing touchdowns.
Maiava will have to get comfortable with new primary receivers after they lost Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane to the draft. That duo produced nearly 2,000 receiving yards of production from last year. Freshman Trent Mosley was the standout in USC’s week 0 win over San Jose State, producing seven catches for 118 yards in his debut. The very young receiver room includes freshmen Tron Baker, Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and Boobie Feaster, and sophomore Corey Simms. None of them have a meaningful track record of college production.
King Miller is the lead running back for USC. He carried 15 times for 63 yards in the opener after a 972 yard freshman season. He’s also a threat to catch the ball, with 16 receptions a year ago. Senior Waymond Jordan had 576 yards a year ago and figures to be the No. 2 back. Freshman Shahn Alston should also figure into the mix.
The Trojans lost veteran tight end Lake McRee along with Walker Lyons. They’re unproven at the position, but 5-star freshman Mark Bowman is expected to have an immediate role. Like IU, USC relies on tight ends for blocking, and like IU, they are largely young and inexperienced at the position.
If USC takes a jump offensively it will be because of its offensive line that returns four starters from last season in tackles Elijah Paige and Justin Tauanuu, guard Alani Noa and center Tobias Raymond. Guard Hayden Treter is the only new starter, but he did make his first career start in the Alamo Bowl to end last season. While experienced they’ll have to improve considerably. PFF ranked the team just No. 98 in pass blocking and No. 108 in run blocking in 2025.
Returning production, defense: 64 percent (per Bill Connelly/ESPN) (20th in the country)
Defensive outlook: Riley hired veteran coach Gary Patterson as his new defensive coordinator during the offseason. Patterson was the head coach at TCU for 22 years and most recently held consulting roles at Texas and Baylor. In case you’re wondering, IU quarterback Josh Hoover committed to TCU just after Patterson parted ways with the school.
Patterson has always been thought of as a defensive-minded coach, but he hasn’t been a defensive coordinator since the 90s. His 2010 TCU defense led the nation in points allowed as part of an undefeated season. It capped a six-year run in which the team ranked inside the top 15 in points allowed per game. Patterson’s 2014 defense ranked No. 8 in keeping opponents off the board and nearly earned a berth in the inaugural College Football Playoff.
Patterson uses a base 4-2-5 defense. He’s thought to be one of the sport’s innovators with that scheme. Overall USC returns six starters from a year ago, and they’ve made some good portal additions. USC ranked No. 58 against the run a year ago, and No. 47 against the pass.
Linebacker Desman Stephens II anchors the middle for USC. Washington transfer Deven Bryant should be another key contributor after posting 63 tackles a year ago. They’ll need sophomore Jadyn Walker to take on a bigger role.
Kameryn Crawford and Braylan Shelby form a formidable pass-rushing duo on the edge. They combined for 10 sacks a year ago. Defensive tackle Jahkeem Stewart again is dealing with a foot injury after playing with a stress fracture for most of last season. Floyd Boucard and Jide Abasiri are key returners on the defensive line. There is also the addition of Michigan State transfer Alex VanSumeren.
Portal additions like defensive back Jontez Williams (Iowa State) should help solidify the cornerback room. He’ll join sophomore Marcelles Williams, who started 11 games last year. Seniors Christian Pierce and Prophet Brown headline the safety position, along with Kennedy Urlacher, son of Chicago Bears legend Brian Urlacher. Depth could be an issue in the defensive backfield, but freshman safety Alex Graham could have an instant impact.
Special teams outlook: Overall USC ranked just No. 124 in special teams at PFF a year ago. New special teams coordinator Mike Ekeler, an IU assistant in 2011-12, arrives from Nebraska to oversee a group that returns standout kicker Ryon Sayeri, while adding Memphis transfer Lachlan Carrigan (43.2 average) at punter. Lemon also handled most of the returns, so the Trojans will have to replace his talents there as well. Mosely shined there in week 0, with a 28.0 average on two punt returns.
Overall Outlook: This is year five for Riley at USC, and he needs it go well. USC has never appeared in the College Football Playoff, and he appears to have the talent to get there. The pressure is on. USC should have a good sense for Riley’s job security when they arrive at IU, with games against Oregon, Washington, Penn State, Wisconsin and Ohio State immediately ahead of the Hoosiers. Meanwhile, Indiana will be coming off a bye after its own grueling stretch, and they’ll take on a Trojan program with a reputation for not playing well in the cold. USC has the talent to test IU, but likely not enough to win in November in Bloomington.
Previous Outlooks:
For complete coverage of IU football, GO HERE.
The Daily Hoosier –“Where Indiana fans assemble when they’re not at Assembly”
-
- Find us on Instagram, X, and Facebook
- Seven ways to support completely free IU coverage at no cost to you.
