Priority 1
Notre Dame
Root for
Wisconsin
Root for Wisconsin2.3-point playoff boost
Wisconsin visits your schedule in week 8: keep them ranked.
26% if Wisconsin wins24% with the other result2.3-point differenceUSC playoff chance
USC Trojans
0–0 · 0–0 BIG TEN
Preseason
WEEK 1 · 2026
The Week 1 job
Beat San José State and avoid turning a likely win into a season problem.
Your game
San José State at USCplayoff chanceNow24%Win24%Loss13%
San José State
San José State 2%USC 98%
USC
Other impactful games
the highlighted team is the result USC wantsPriority 2
Root for
North Carolina
TCU
Root for North Carolina1.3-point playoff boost
North Carolina winning thins out the at-large competition for your playoff spot.
25% if North Carolina wins23% with the other result1.3-point differenceUSC playoff chance
45 more games that don't move your needle
Hawai'i at Stanford · ACC Network
Memphis at UNLV · FOX
New Mexico State at Florida State · The CW Network
NC State at Virginia · ESPN
Akron at Wake Forest · ACC Network
Massachusetts at Rutgers · BTN
Colorado at Georgia Tech · ESPN
Toledo at Michigan State · FS1
San José State at Eastern Michigan · ESPN+
Miami at Stanford · ESPN
Florida Atlantic at Florida · SEC Network
UL Monroe at Mississippi State · ESPNU
UTEP at Oklahoma · SECN+
Kent State at South Carolina · SEC Network
Texas State at Texas · ESPN
Missouri State at Texas A&M · ESPN
Oklahoma State at Tulsa · ESPNU
Boston College at Cincinnati · FOX
Oregon State at Houston · ESPN
Coastal Carolina at West Virginia · TNT
Miami (OH) at Pittsburgh · The CW Network
Tulane at Duke · ACC Network
UCLA at California · ESPN
UAB at Illinois · BTN
North Texas at Indiana · FOX
Northern Illinois at Iowa · BTN
Western Michigan at Michigan · NBC
Ohio at Nebraska · FS1
Ball State at Ohio State · BTN
Boise State at Oregon · CBS
Marshall at Penn State · FS1
Washington State at Washington · NBC
Wyoming at Colorado State · USA Network
Arkansas State at Memphis · ESPN+
Florida International at South Florida · ESPN+
Western Kentucky at Nevada · CBSSN
UNLV at Hawai'i · The CW Network
Central Michigan at New Mexico · FS1
Liberty at James Madison · ESPNU
Sam Houston at Troy · ESPN+
East Carolina at Alabama · ABC
Baylor at Auburn · ABC
Clemson at LSU · ABC
Louisville at Ole Miss · ABC
SMU at Florida State · ESPN
Your rooting list:USC, then Wisconsin, North Carolina.
Based on 50,000 season simulations entering week 1, with preseason ratings projected from last season. How the model works.