PFF Picks USC to Make First CFP in 2026

Pro Football Focus analyst Daire Carragher has named the USC Trojans as one of the eight most likely teams to make their first College Football Playoff appearance in 2026. This designation is based on betting market odds, which suggest that the Trojans are the most probable team still awaiting its playoff debut to eliminate the uncertainty surrounding their postseason status.

Carragher attributes this optimism to USC's continued recruitment of top-tier talent, particularly highlighted by their 2026 recruiting class, which ranks as the highest in college football history.

This new class joins an already potent team, boasting USC's highest explosive pass play rate at 19.6% among Power Four offenses last season. Despite Riley's leadership, the Trojans have underachieved under his tenure. In 2022, under Caleb Williams' leadership, USC won the Heisman and posted an 11-3 record, but fell to Tulane in the Cotton Bowl.

Since then, the team's performance has waned, with only two-digit victories in the last two seasons, including narrow losses to Illinois and a double-digit defeat to Oregon in their inaugural Big Ten season.

However, Carragher notes a glimmer of positive development as the Trojans transition into the Big Ten, with wins over Michigan and Iowa providing encouraging signs of resilience in challenging circumstances. Looking ahead, the key will be securing two wins against Ohio State, Oregon, and Indiana, as this could propel USC into a national championship conversation.

With USC's talent pool seemingly limitless, Carragher suggests that the Trojans may find themselves continuously involved in playoff discussions for years to come.