USC Trojans
0–0 · 0–0 BIG TEN
Way too early
WEEK 9 · 2026
7%
Big Ten title game
2%
Win the Big Ten
24%
Make the playoff
3%
First-round bye
avg seed 7.7
Way-too-early read: preseason ratings, while rosters are still settling. The week-9 job: beat Ohio State.
The Saturday rundown
ranked by what moves USC's pathYour game
TBD
SAT OCT 31
Ohio State at USC
Your game. Beat Ohio State and your playoff odds are 41%; lose and they drop to 13%.
Ohio State 62%
Worth a glancesmaller, but real
TBD
SAT OCT 31
Purdue at Penn State
Purdue winning thins out the at-large competition for your playoff spot.
Penn State 95%
TBD
SAT OCT 31
Wisconsin at Iowa
Wisconsin winning thins out the at-large competition for your playoff spot.
Iowa 88%
TBD
SAT OCT 31
Washington at Nebraska
Nebraska winning thins out the at-large competition for your playoff spot.
Washington 65%
TBD
SAT OCT 31
Minnesota at Indiana
Big Ten race: Indiana losing helps your spot in the standings; you still play Indiana in week 11.
Indiana 97%
TBD
SAT OCT 31
Utah at Cincinnati
Cincinnati winning thins out the at-large competition for your playoff spot.
Utah 79%
48 more games that don't move your needle
Illinois at Maryland
Delaware at Western Kentucky
Sam Houston at Missouri State
Jacksonville State at New Mexico State
Kennesaw State at Middle Tennessee
Florida Atlantic at North Texas
Troy at James Madison
Tulane at Charlotte
Missouri at Arkansas
Florida at Georgia
Auburn at Ole Miss
South Carolina at Oklahoma
Mississippi State at Texas
Arizona at Texas Tech
Arizona State at BYU
Baylor at UCF
Kansas at TCU
Kansas State at Colorado
Oklahoma State at Iowa State
California at NC State
SMU at Syracuse
Boston College at Duke
Clemson at Florida State
Georgia Tech at Pittsburgh
Miami at North Carolina
Stanford at Louisville
Virginia at Wake Forest
Northwestern at Oregon
Michigan at Rutgers
Nevada at UCLA
Navy at Notre Dame
Texas State at Boise State
Washington State at San Diego State
Colorado State at Utah State
Oregon State at Fresno State
UConn at Air Force
Army at Memphis
Temple at East Carolina
UAB at South Florida
New Mexico at San José State
Northern Illinois at UNLV
Bowling Green at Western Michigan
App State at Georgia Southern
Coastal Carolina at Georgia State
Florida International at Liberty
Southern Miss at UL Monroe
Marshall at Old Dominion
Louisiana Tech at South Alabama
Based on 50,000 season simulations entering week 9, with preseason ratings projected from last season: way too early, enjoy responsibly. How the model works.