ESPN thinks USC had one of six best offseasons of any Power 4 program

USC football had a very good offseason -- so says ESPN. This isn't one guy, either. ESPN college football analysts came together and produced a group article on the programs that had the best 2026 offseasons. The list of quality offseasons involved three main components: roster improvement, roster retention, and coaching upgrades. USC placed sixth among all power conference programs:

"Lincoln Riley says USC's championship window is opening now in Year 5," ESPN wrote. "The Trojans have backed up that ambition with major investment in its roster and the No. 1-ranked recruiting class, and they answered their few lingering needs with proven portal talent. The big wild card here is new DC Gary Patterson and how quickly he gets this defense playing up to his elite standards."

This is a very reasonable yet also generous line of analysis from ESPN. We are certainly not going to complain about this, but we also have to be honest in saying that USC faces a cutthroat schedule in 2026, with Indiana, Ohio State, Penn State, Washington, and Oregon all on the schedule. The true measure of how good this 2026 offseason was -- and is -- will be taken on the field this fall. If USC is able to go 10-2 against this schedule and make the College Football Playoff, we will be able to appreciate how good this offseason was. If, on the other hand, USC is unprepared for the elite teams in the Big Ten, this offseason assessment from ESPN will turn out to be wishful thinking.