Preseason rankings offer a fascinating question to USC football fans
If you are a USC fan, and you were told -- as one rankings system just did -- the Trojans would finish No. 4 in the Big Ten, would you take the deal?
USC football knows that if it goes 10-2 this season, it will make the College Football Playoff. The real question might be this: If USC goes 10-2, does that mean the Trojans will necessarily be third in the Big Ten Conference? USC plays a lot of the top teams in the league, so a 10-2 record -- two losses in the conference -- might mean USC is finishing third.
However, what if Ohio State, Indiana and Oregon all lose one game? USC going 10-2 would put the Trojans fourth. It could be enough, but it will depend on what other teams do.
Wolverines Wire recently noted that the new SP+ rankings for Big Ten teams have USC fourth. Ohio State is first, Oregon second, Indiana third. That's three teams USC plays this season finishing ahead of the Trojans.
However, USC is finishing ahead of Penn State and Washington, two teams on the Trojans' schedule. If USC finishes fourth in the Big Ten, will that be enough to make the playoff? It might depend on the SEC, which had only three teams in the playoff in 2024 but put five in the playoff last year in 2025.