After a disappointing 7–6 campaign in 2024, national confidence in the USC Trojans is understandably shaky. Yet, as the 2025 season approaches, the team finds itself surprisingly well-positioned in preseason power rankings. This is partly due to a schedule that conveniently avoids Big Ten heavyweights like Ohio State and Penn State.
But does a favorable slate mean real progress is on the horizon, or is this just smoke and mirrors?
USC’s 2025 Power Ranking Climbs without Ohio State or Penn State
According to CSN’s college football power rankings, USC enters the 2025 season at No. 40, a notable leap from its No. 65 spot in December 2024. A big reason? The Trojans won’t face Ohio State and Penn State on this year’s schedule. But there’s still work to do.
USC’s first season in the Big Ten exposed a harsh reality: no easy wins exist. They dropped games to average teams like Minnesota and Maryland, struggled with Nebraska, and barely escaped a dismal UCLA squad. It was rough sledding, although the schedule might not have looked overwhelming on paper.
CBS Sports ranked the 2025 schedule of Big Ten programs, and USC has one of the toughest in the conference.@ChrisNTrevino has the details:https://t.co/hYLLqmhWg5
— USC Trojans Football (@uscfootball) June 2, 2025
In 2025, USC’s schedule gets much tougher after the first four games. There’s a visit to Illinois on Sept. 27, the type of game USC hasn’t been able to win recently. Michigan visits the Coliseum on Oct. 11, and USC is off to South Bend to face Notre Dame next week. Fortunately, a bye week follows that gauntlet, offering a brief window to regroup.
November doesn’t get any easier: road trips to Nebraska and Oregon, plus home games against Northwestern, Iowa, and rival UCLA. Northwestern and UCLA are arguably the easiest opponents in the season’s back half, but both can pull off upsets on a good day.
The biggest question, however, is whether the Trojans can fix their road woes this season. They went 1-4 away from home in 2024, with their only win coming against UCLA at the Rose Bowl, a game that felt more neutral than hostile.
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This trend isn’t new. In 2023, USC eked out uninspiring wins over weak Arizona State and Colorado teams and barely survived Cal while getting dismantled at Notre Dame and Oregon.
Their 2025 opener at Purdue might not be tough, but trips to Illinois, Notre Dame, Nebraska, and Oregon? None of those look like wins on paper. USC hasn’t beaten Notre Dame or Oregon on the road since 2011.
So, can the Trojans finally prove they belong in the Big Ten, or will the road keep tripping them up?
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