Three home games in a row to open the year, including a kickoff that doesn’t start until 11:00 p.m. ET. Oregon and Washington visiting the Coliseum back-to-back. And Ohio State coming to Los Angeles on Halloween. The USC Football Schedule 2026 delivers as much star power at home as anywhere in the country.
USC Football Schedule 2026
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Aug 29 | San Jose State Spartans | LA Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA | 3:00 PM | NBC/Peacock |
| Fri, Sep 4 | Fresno State Bulldogs | LA Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA | 9:00 PM | FOX |
| Sat, Sep 12 | Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns | LA Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA | 11:00 PM | BTN |
| Sat, Sep 19 | at Rutgers Scarlet Knights | SHI Stadium, Piscataway, NJ | 3:30 PM | CBS/Paramount+ |
| Sat, Sep 26 | Oregon Ducks | LA Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 3 | Washington Huskies (Homecoming) | LA Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 10 | at Penn State Nittany Lions | Beaver Stadium, University Park, PA | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 17 | — | OFF | — | — |
| Sat, Oct 24 | at Wisconsin Badgers | Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, WI | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 31 | Ohio State Buckeyes | LA Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 7 | — | OFF | — | — |
| Sat, Nov 14 | at Indiana Hoosiers | Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, IN | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 21 | Maryland Terrapins | LA Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 28 | at UCLA Bruins | Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, CA | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Dec 5 | Big Ten Championship | Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN | 8:00 PM | FOX |
Three Straight Home Games, One at 11:00 p.m. ET
USC Football Schedule 2026 opens against San Jose State before Fresno State visits for a Friday night game on September 4. Louisiana kicks off an even later Saturday night matchup on September 12 — 11:00 p.m. ET, one of the latest starts anywhere in the country — before a road trip to Rutgers closes out the opening month.
Oregon and Washington Back to Back at Home
This is where the USC Big Ten schedule 2026 turns into a genuine national showcase. Oregon visits the Coliseum on September 26, followed immediately by Washington for Homecoming on October 3 — two top-20 opponents in consecutive home games.
Penn State on the Road, Then a Bye
A road trip to Penn State opens the second half of October before a bye week on October 17 gives USC time to recover from the Oregon-Washington stretch.
A Trip to Wisconsin, Then Ohio State Comes to LA
A road game at Wisconsin follows before USC vs Ohio State 2026 delivers the biggest home date of the season — Ohio State visiting the Coliseum on Halloween. A second bye week on November 7 offers more recovery time before the closing stretch.
Indiana on the Road, Then the Crosstown Rivalry
A road trip to Indiana opens the final stretch before Maryland visits Los Angeles. The regular season closes on the road against rival UCLA at the Rose Bowl on November 28. If USC is still playing December 5, it’s in Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship.
The Bottom Line
Between Oregon, Washington, Penn State, Ohio State, and Indiana, USC faces five ranked opponents across one of the most demanding schedules in the country. The USC football home games in 2026 include two signature back-to-back matchups against Oregon and Washington, but how the Trojans handle Ohio State before the road trip to Indiana will decide whether the UCLA finale means anything.
FAQ
Q: When does USC play its first game on the 2026 schedule?
A: USC Football Schedule 2026 opens at home against San Jose State on Saturday, August 29, at LA Memorial Coliseum.
Q: When is USC vs UCLA 2026?
A: USC vs UCLA 2026 closes the regular season on Saturday, November 28, on the road at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
Q: How many home games does USC play in 2026?
A: USC has eight USC football home games in 2026 at LA Memorial Coliseum: San Jose State, Fresno State, Louisiana, Oregon, Washington, Ohio State, and Maryland.
Q: What is USC’s toughest stretch on the 2026 schedule?
A: The back-to-back home games against Oregon and Washington — September 26 and October 3 — are the toughest stretch on the USC Big Ten schedule 2026, alongside the October 31 home game against Ohio State.