Priority 1
Root for
Ohio State
Texas
Root for Ohio State2.0-point playoff boost
Ohio State visits your schedule in week 9: keep them ranked.
25% if Ohio State wins23% with the other result2-point differenceUSC playoff chance
USC Trojans
0–0 · 0–0 BIG TEN
Preseason
WEEK 2 · 2026
The Week 2 job
Beat Louisiana and avoid turning a likely win into a season problem.
Your game
Louisiana at USCplayoff chanceNow24%Win24%Loss13%
Louisiana
Louisiana 5%USC 95%
USC
Other impactful games
the highlighted team is the result USC wantsPriority 2
Root for
Rutgers
Boston College
Root for Rutgers1.5-point playoff boost
Rutgers visits your schedule in week 3: keep them ranked.
24% if Rutgers wins23% with the other result1.5-point differenceUSC playoff chance
44 more games that don't move your needle
Tulsa at Sam Houston · ESPN+
Arkansas at Utah · ESPN
Southern Miss at Auburn
Western Kentucky at Georgia · SEC Network
Alabama at Kentucky · ABC
Charlotte at Ole Miss
Mississippi State at Minnesota · CBS
Missouri at Kansas · FOX
Oklahoma at Michigan · FOX
Tennessee at Georgia Tech · ESPN
Arizona State at Texas A&M · ABC
Delaware at Vanderbilt · SEC Network
Washington State at Kansas State · TNT
Oregon at Oklahoma State · ESPN
Texas Tech at Oregon State · CBS
Iowa State at Iowa · NBC
UCF at Pittsburgh · ESPN2
Arizona at BYU · FOX
California at Syracuse · ACC Network
Duke at Illinois · FS1
Georgia Southern at Clemson · ACC Network
Old Dominion at Virginia Tech · The CW Network
Wake Forest at Purdue · FS1
Eastern Michigan at Michigan State · BTN
Bowling Green at Nebraska · FS1
Penn State at Temple · ESPN2
San Diego State at UCLA · BTN
Maryland at UConn · CBSSN
Utah State at Washington · BTN
Memphis at Boise State · USA Network
UTSA at Texas State · The CW Network
South Florida at Army · CBSSN
Navy at Florida Atlantic
UNLV at North Texas · ESPNU
UL Monroe at UAB · ESPN+
App State at East Carolina · ESPNU
South Alabama at Tulane · ESPN+
New Mexico State at Hawai'i · MW+
Buffalo at Florida International · ESPN+
Jacksonville State at Ohio · ESPN+
Louisiana Tech at LSU · SECN+
Georgia State at Kennesaw State · ESPN+
Middle Tennessee at Marshall · ESPN+
Rice at Notre Dame · NBC
Your rooting list:USC, then Ohio State, Rutgers.
Based on 50,000 season simulations entering week 2, with preseason ratings projected from last season. How the model works.