USC will play two football games in 2026 before most teams play one

On Friday, Fox Sports revealed its lineup of Friday night college football games for the 2026 season. Included on the schedule is USC’s Week 1 matchup against Fresno State, which will now be played on Friday, September 4.

While the game will be played in Week 1 of the college football season, it will not be the Trojans’ first game of the year. USC will open its 2026 campaign in Week Zero against San Jose State, six days prior.

Hence, this creates a rather unique scheduling dynamic for the Trojans. By the time that Saturday of Week 1 kicks off, USC will already have two games in the books. Hence, the Trojans will play two games before most teams even take the field for their first.

This could potentially provide USC with somewhat of a competitive advantage, as it will give Lincoln Riley’s team more time to rest during the middle of the season. Ultimately, however, it mostly just a bizarre but noteworthy scheduling quirk.

Kickoff times and television information for USC’s remaining 11 games have not yet been announced. Based on the precedent that we have seen in prior seasons, however, it would not be stunning if more details on some of the August and September games come out soon.

This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC football will play two games in 2026 before most teams play one