USC Trojans
0–0 · 0–0 BIG TEN
Way too early
WEEK 5 · 2026
7%
Big Ten title game
2%
Win the Big Ten
18%
Make the playoff
<1%
First-round bye
avg seed 9.6
Way-too-early read: ratings carry last season forward — the portal will have opinions. The week-5 job: beat Washington.
The Saturday rundown
ranked by what moves USC's pathYour game
TBD
SAT OCT 3
Washington at USC
Your game. Beat Washington and your playoff odds are 24%; lose and they drop to 6%.
USC 68%
Worth a glancesmaller, but real
TBD
FRI OCT 2
Penn State at Northwestern
You still play Penn State in week 6.
Penn State 83%
TBD
SAT OCT 3
Ohio State at Iowa
Ohio State visits your schedule in week 9 — keep them ranked.
Ohio State 67%
TBD
SAT OCT 3
Alabama at Mississippi State
Mississippi State winning thins out the at-large competition for your playoff spot.
Alabama 83%
TBD
SAT OCT 3
Indiana at Rutgers
Big Ten race: Indiana losing helps your spot in the standings; you still play Indiana in week 11.
Indiana 95%
TBD
SAT OCT 3
Vanderbilt at Georgia
Georgia winning thins out the at-large competition for your playoff spot.
Georgia 77%
49 more games that don't move your needle
North Texas at Tulsa
Western Kentucky at New Mexico State
Pittsburgh at Virginia Tech
Liberty at Delaware
Florida at Missouri
Kentucky at South Carolina
Auburn at Tennessee
Arkansas at Texas A&M
Middle Tennessee at Kansas
Baylor at Arizona State
BYU at TCU
UCF at Houston
Cincinnati at Arizona
Texas Tech at Colorado
West Virginia at Iowa State
Boston College at SMU
California at UNLV
Louisville at NC State
Miami at Clemson
Notre Dame at North Carolina
Stanford at Wake Forest
Syracuse at UConn
Virginia at Florida State
Purdue at Illinois
Michigan at Minnesota
Maryland at Nebraska
Michigan State at Wisconsin
Utah State at Boise State
Oregon State at Colorado State
Texas State at San Diego State
Fresno State at Washington State
Memphis at Charlotte
UTSA at Rice
Navy at Air Force
Temple at South Florida
San José State at Hawai'i
UTEP at New Mexico
Akron at Central Michigan
Toledo at Ball State
Western Michigan at Buffalo
Eastern Michigan at Massachusetts
Ohio at Kent State
Bowling Green at Miami (OH)
Army at Louisiana Tech
Arkansas State at Louisiana
Georgia Southern at Coastal Carolina
Old Dominion at Georgia State
Marshall at James Madison
UL Monroe at South Alabama
Based on 50,000 season simulations entering week 5, with last season's ratings carried forward — way too early, enjoy responsibly.