There is a notable 2026 USC schedule change as the program announced on Friday its Week 1 matchup with Fresno State will now be played on Friday, Sept. 4. The game will be televised on FOX. A kickoff time will be announced at a later date. <\/p>\n
This will be the second matchup of the season for USC after opening Week 0 against San Jose State. Friday\u2019s matchup will allow for extra prep\/rest going into Week 2\u2019s game against Louisiana. <\/p>\n
USC did not have a Friday night game on the 2026 schedule prior to this move. <\/p>\n
The Fresno State matchup will welcome former USC linebacker coach Matt Entz back to the Coliseum. Entz coached one season at USC before taking the head coaching job. Entz went 9-4 his first season with the Bulldogs. <\/p>\n
No Excuses<\/p>\n
It\u2019s no secret that the USC schedule is one of the toughest in the nation for 2026. <\/p>\n
While the upcoming USC schedule might have Trojan fans stressing, that is not the case when it comes to those inside the USC program. Trojan general manager Chad Bowden<\/a> made it clear earlier this spring that the program is not looking for any excuses.<\/p>\n \u201cThe schedule is perfect,\u201d said Bowden earlier this spring. \u201cIt\u2019s exactly what this program needs it to be. I think the Big Ten did a great job. I\u2019ve had a lot of different people come up to me, whether it\u2019s donors, fans. A lot of different people have talked to me about the schedule. We don\u2019t need excuses. That\u2019s not what we are looking for. We are ready. This is a great football team. They love each other. It\u2019s a great staff. This is the most perfect schedule for this program. We cannot wait to play in those games.\u201d<\/p>\n The Trojans are looking to take another step forward for Lincoln Riley\u2019s fifth season at the helm. USC football came a brutal overtime loss to TCU in the Alamo Bowl from Riley\u2019s second ten-win season in Los Angeles. They finished 9-4, his best mark since 2022.<\/p>\n USC and Riley are feeling the pressure for a College Football Playoff bid this fall. The path will include games on the road at Wisconsin, Penn State and defending national champion Indiana. USC will also host Ohio State, Oregon and Wisconsin. <\/p>\n