UCLA is set to enter its third season in the Big Ten, following a sophomore campaign in which the program captured three NCAA championships – the most of any other Big Ten school. The conference as a whole saw 10 different national titles to its name in the most recent competitive cycle. Daily Bruin Sports will preview the football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball and other top programs of each Big Ten rival.
Football
2025 record: 9-4, 7-2 Big Ten, Valero Alamo Bowl loss
Coach: Lincoln Riley
Player to watch: Jayden Maiava
In four years at the helm, coach Lincoln Riley’s failure to reach the College Football Playoff has been met with extensive scrutiny, but expectations may be rising in 2026.
Despite such shortcomings, it is no secret Riley is a generational quarterback developer.
Between his time at Oklahoma and USC, three play callers have been drafted No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft under Riley’s tutelage after winning the Heisman Trophy – with Caleb Williams most recently being selected by the Chicago Bears in 2024.
And Jayden Maiava has the opportunity to be the next great Riley product as he enters just his second full season under center for the Trojans, posting 3,711 passing yards on a 65.8% completion rate in 2025.
The Big Ten’s passing leader last season thrived in a strong power-RPO scheme that produced five different 500-plus all-purpose yard players and 12 multi-touchdown scorers – over half of whom scored three-plus.
Maiava’s increasing comfort as a play caller positions him as one of the nation’s most prolific pocket passers – throwing 24 touchdowns last year. While his 10 interceptions leave room for improvement, the redshirt senior was sacked just 14 times – the second fewest among all Big Ten quarterbacks who took at least 200 passing attempts.
And the veteran offensive linemen who protected Maiava all of 2025 – allowing the 12th fewest sacks in the country – are all returning for this upcoming season, ensuring the same pocket security Trojan fans were accustomed to last year.
But the Trojan faithful will have to adjust to seeing Maiava throw to new weapons.
USC sported two of the conference’s best wide receivers last year in Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane – accounting for the Big Ten’s second and 11th most receiving yards. Lemon – the 20th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to the Philadelphia Eagles – and Lane – the 80th overall pick to the Baltimore Ravens – combined for over 1,900 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Between the departures of Lemon, Lane and former tight end Lake McRee – who caught 450 yards and four touchdowns in 2025 – revamping the passing game will likely be the Trojans’ biggest concern this season.
Making up for such losses will be wide receivers Tanook Hines and Zacharyus Williams. The former was USC’s third-leading receiver with 561 yards on 34 catches, while the latter was a former four-star recruit who will see an expanded role after playing in just five games last season due to injury.
Riley also brought in North Carolina State transfer Terrell Anderson, who projects to be Maiava’s No. 1 deep target. In two years with the Wolfpack, Anderson logged 787 passing yards on 53 total catches.
While Maiava will likely continue to thrive in the pocket, he will have the luxury of continuing to hand it off to King Miller, who returns for just his second season of action as the Trojans’ starting running back. As a strong downhill runner who powers through contact, Miller was a near-guarantee for conversions in Riley’s offense last year.
Behind Miller’s 6.2-yard average per carry – good for 25th in the nation – USC was No. 7 overall in third-down conversions, being successful 51% of the time.
On the other end of the ball, the Trojans left a bit to be desired.
Ranking in the bottom half of the Big Ten in total yards, passing yards and rushing yards allowed per game, USC forfeited 20-plus points in over half of its games.
To address that, Riley added 2026 College Football Hall of Famer Gary Patterson to lead the defense. Patterson previously helmed TCU for 21 seasons, where he became the program’s winningest head coach and received two AP National Coach of the Year awards.
Patterson’s unit sees the return of its two leading sackers on both ends of the defensive line with Kameryn Crawford and Braylan Shelby, who combined for 11 sacks and 70 tackles last season. The two edges helped propel USC to No. 6 in the conference in total sacks, consistently applying ample pocket pressure.
However, the tackle duo of Jide Abasiri and Devan Thompkins was slightly exposed in defending the run, where the Trojans allowed 143.2 yards per game.
While Abasiri returned to Los Angeles, Thompkins transferred to Alabama and was replaced by Alex VanSumeren, who spent the past three years with Michigan State.
With a returning group of veterans in the secondary – as well as a somewhat weaker linebacker corps – Patterson will likely recreate the same five-man unit he employed at TCU, using Alex Graham as the hybrid nickelback and third linebacker alongside the team’s leading tackler last year, Desman Stephens II, and Washington transfer Deven Bryant.
Although the team’s leader in interceptions last year with five – Bishop Fitzgerald – departed for the NFL, the Trojans retained safeties Kennedy Urlacher and Christian Pierce, alongside Marcelles Williams, who will line up opposite Jontez Williams – an Iowa State transfer who nabbed five interceptions in his last two seasons.
With a revamped coaching staff and several key returners, the Trojans have the opportunity to make their first appearance in the CFP.
Men’s basketball
2025-26 record: 18-14, 7-13 Big Ten, Big Ten tournament second-round loss
Coach: Eric Musselman
Player to watch: Alijah Arenas
The 2025-26 season might not have been able to get any weirder for the Trojans.
Through 26 games, USC was led in scoring by guard Chad Baker-Mazara, who sported 18.5 points per game alongside 4.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.
However, with just two games remaining in the regular season, Baker-Mazara was announced as no longer being a part of the program March 1, with no further details after exiting a game following a hard fall the day before.
While it was allegedly a nonisolated incident that led to the former Trojan’s departure, the loss left USC without its leading scorer entering the Big Ten tournament, where it would lose in its first game to Washington.
Even the Baker-Mazara conflict aside, crucial injuries to key starters derailed the Trojans’ season, undermining an NCAA tournament appearance entirely.
But an offseason of recovery gives Eric Musselman’s squad a chance to recoup and bounce back.
The third-year head coach has traditionally run a pro-style scheme that faltered last year without strong playmakers – guard Kam Woods was the only rotational Trojan last year to sport at least a 2.0 assist-to-turnover ratio – often leaving the offense stagnant and inefficient. Ranked fifth-worst in field goal percentage, USC was also the conference’s worst perimeter squad in 2025, while also committing the most turnovers and fouls per game.
As such, there may not be any better time to see the return of guard Rodney Rice, who played in just six games last year before undergoing a season-ending shoulder injury, but was effective in the small sample size.
A former member of Maryland’s “Crab Five,” Rice should be USC’s leading offensive engine next season, providing ample shot-creation and high-level shooting – boasting a career 37% 3-point clip. Rice’s playmaking and ability to push the pace will also be critical to getting teammates involved and helping revamp a once sluggish offense, having averaged six assists per game in 2025-26.
Musselman also turned to the transfer portal to retool his guard rotation, securing Colgate’s Jalen Cox and Georgetown’s KJ Lewis.
The former projects to be a strong backup point guard who brings notable two-way capabilities, despite a 6-foot-3, 180-pound frame. Cox averaged 17.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game last season, alongside 1.7 steals per game. The former Raider should provide instant offense as a spark plug off the bench, possessing a career 52.1% field goal percentage.
The latter will start alongside Rice, after spending a year with the Hoyas, averaging 14.9 points and 2.1 steals per game. While questions about his shooting remain, Lewis should be a seamless complement to Rice, bringing strong defense, athleticism and the ability to run in transition and work off the ball.
Like Rice, guard Alijah Arenas was relegated to just 14 games last year due to injury sustained from a car accident.
With a 6-foot-6 frame, Arenas projects to be the squad’s de facto starting small forward. The projected 2027 NBA Draft lottery pick is a prototypical combo wing with the length and talent to create his own shot. While Arenas’ defense and lack of strength raise concerns, his smooth handle will allow him to generate jump shots at will.
Rounding out the starting lineup in the frontcourt are returning power forward Jacob Cofie – who started all 32 games last year, posting 6.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game – and 7-foot-1 center Eric Reibe – a UConn transfer who creates a physically imposing big-man tandem with Cofie.
And after bringing in the country’s ninth-best recruiting class, USC has revamped its frontcourt rotation off the bench with a wave of youth, size and athleticism.
Leading the incoming cohort is five-star prospect Christian Collins. The projected 2027 first-round NBA Draft pick was the No. 10 player in the class of 2026 who could see valuable minutes early as a vertical spacer whose high motor bodes well as a lob threat for Rice. While Collins’ ceiling is largely predicated on his shooting and offensive refinement, he brings strong physical tools at just 18 years old.
Joining Collins in LA are twin big men Darius and Adonis Ratliff, both of whom bring near-7-foot, 210-plus-pound frames to the Trojans after being McDonald’s All-Americans in high school.
The four-star brothers, alongside Collins, can usher in a new era for a program that allowed the conference’s second-most points per game just last year.
Women’s basketball
2025-26 record: 18-14, 9-9 Big Ten, NCAA tournament second-round loss
Coach: Lindsay Gottlieb
Player to watch: JuJu Watkins
Following what may have been a disappointing season for many fans – just shy of an above-.500 record – the Trojans return one of the most talented rosters in the country, headlined by who may be the nation’s best player.
Just two years ago as a freshman, guard JuJu Watkins was second in the country in scoring, with a slashline of 27.1/7.3/3.3/2.3/1.6, only behind eventual first overall WNBA pick Caitlin Clark.
After leading the Trojans to the 2025 Big Ten regular-season title, Watkins tore her right ACL in the second round of the NCAA tournament, sidelining her for the entire 2025-26 season. But the projected first overall pick in 2027 has nearly completed her rehabilitation, marking her as ready for the upcoming season.
The 2025 AP National Player of the Year is a do-it-all superstar who lacks any glaring weaknesses in her game, boasting the high-level two-way talent of any dominant wing.
Her athleticism and shot creation enable her to score from nearly anywhere on the court, while also being able to match up with the other team’s best scorer.
And Watkins will not be alone either.
Playing alongside her will be Jazzy Davidson, who comprises the other half of what might be the nation’s best backcourt.
Last year, Davidson was a freshman phenom who led the Trojans in all major statistical categories with a slashline of 17.9/5.6/4.1/2.0/2.0. The No. 1 recruit in the class of 2025 pairs next to Watkins to create dynamic two-way play, and they will play off of each other for instant offense.
Kennedy Smith is in contention for USC’s final guard spot in the starting lineup. The combo wing has been a staple of coach Lindsay Gottlieb’s rotation over the last two years, having started all 57 of her games, bringing good length and consistent defense.
Potentially challenging Smith for her minutes and even starting role will be incoming No. 1 recruit Saniyah Hall – the Trojans’ third top-ranked prospect in four years. The guard/forward won gold at the 2025 U19 Women’s World Cup, winning MVP with Team USA. Hall possesses a dynamic skill set that can bode well off of other guard creators and should thrive in Gottlieb’s heavy ball movement ecosystem.
Gottlieb finalized her starting lineup by going even deeper in the recruiting pool, turning to international waters for her frontcourt.
Sitaya Fagan projects to be the starting power forward as a 6-foot-4 big from Melbourne, who won the gold medal and MVP with Team Australia at the U17 Women’s Oceania Cup. Sara Okeke should pair next to Fagan to create a young, athletic and physically imposing duo after winning the gold medal and MVP with Spain at the FIBA U18 Women’s EuroBasket.
With the return of one of the nation’s best players – with young weapons – Gottlieb and crew can reclaim a spot in the upper echelons of the Big Ten.
Women’s water polo
2026 record: 25-3, 6-0 MPSF, NCAA champions
Coach: Casey Moon
Player to watch: Emily Ausmus
While it may not be the most popular sport, USC women’s water polo was the most successful Trojan program last athletic season.
The reigning national champions powered through their 2026 campaign with an average margin of victory of 8.09, losing just three games, all within three points to top-ranked conference rivals.
And with just four seniors on last year’s roster, the Trojans have the continuity to be serious threats for back-to-back titles. USC returns all five of its top scorers from 2026, combining for 264 goals and 143 assists, and only one of whom shot below .500.
Leading the way is attacker Emily Ausmus, arguably the best player in the country after securing both the Peter J. Cutino and ACWPC Player of the Year awards.
Ausmus led the Trojans last year with 77 goals, having scored in all but one match. Just the year before, she set the program record with 114 goals as a freshman.
USC also returns starting goalie Anna Reed, who posted 206 saves last year, including a career-high 14 in the national title game. Across the entire NCAA tournament, Reed logged 33 saves, allowing just 24 goals.
Overall, the Trojans’ biggest strength is their offensive firepower, capable of hitting opponents with a flurry of options that can capitalize from all over the pool. In the MPSF championship match, despite the loss, USC posted 14 points over then-reigning national champion Stanford, as well as 17 against California in the round before.
With major continuity, the Trojans could be favorites to hoist another national championship trophy this season.
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