Despite throttling Missouri State University in historic fashion to open up the 2025 season, football is still on the outside looking in on both The Associated Press’ Top 25 and American Football Coaches Association Poll after being left off AP’s preseason list for the first time since 2019. USC’s 73-13 victory on Saturday, which included a dominant performance from redshirt junior quarterback Jayden Maiava, marked the team’s most points scored in a game since 1930.

While USC improved one spot to the fourth honorable mention in AP’s poll after receiving 64 votes, the Trojans lost ground in the Coaches Poll despite the dominant performance, falling from preseason No. 29 to No. 31. Despite hesitancy in the polls, ESPN’s College Football Power Index, a predicting model for future performance, has USC at No. 6, only behind four teams in AP’s top 20.

Last season, the Trojans, who finished 7-6, began the season at No. 23 before rising to No. 11 after a 3-1 start that included a key 27-20 win over No. 13 LSU in week one. USC fell off AP’s poll after a 24-17 upset loss to Minnesota in week five and remained unranked by season’s end despite finishing strong with a bowl win.

While Saturday’s win was an encouraging sign, Missouri State was playing in its first ever Football Bowl Subdivision game, and the level of competition was not enough to change voters’ minds. USC was originally expected to welcome No. 20 Ole Miss (1-0) to the Coliseum to open the 2025 season, but the deal fell apart, according to the Los Angeles Times, 

USC’s next three opponents are also unranked, and Georgia Southern is not expected to give the Trojans any problems this Saturday, so the team’s first true test will come Sept. 27 when they face No. 11 Illinois (1-0).

Once Big Ten play starts, the Trojans will face two unranked opponents in Purdue and Michigan State, before the heat of the schedule ramps up with matchups scheduled against Illinois, No. 15 Michigan (1-0) and No. 9 Notre Dame (0-1) by mid-October. 

A Trojan team that wins out will almost assuredly make the 12-team College Football Playoff, but if it doesn’t earn a marquee victory or two, it may be tough to overcome multiple losses, even if they come against top teams.