USC women’s volleyball is preparing for crucial conference matchups against Michigan on Friday and Michigan State on Sunday at Galen Center. 

The unranked Trojans (7-5, 1-1 Big Ten) split their Big Ten opening matches, winning their first conference game of the season at Northwestern (7-7, 0-3) with a 3-0 sweep. However, they couldn’t maintain momentum for long before losing against Illinois (10-3, 2-0), 3-0. 

Regardless, it is too early to tell whether USC is falling behind or finding its stride in conference play, with just those two games under its belt. With games against Michigan (9-4, 0-2) and Michigan State (11-1, 1-1) coming up, the Trojans are looking to set the record straight with their home-court advantage.

 The Trojans, however, have had a stronger start than the Wolverines, who are currently winless in conference play, and are on even footing with the Spartans. Both teams lost an early-season game against No. 22 Washington (11-0, 2-0), a force USC will be reckoning with in mid-November. 

USC holds an all-time record of 3-0 against the Wolverines. Last season, USC finished in third place in the Big Ten, tied with Purdue, while Michigan ended its season in ninth, which could instill confidence in the Trojans who are looking to dominate on the home court. 

With Michigan coming off two straight losses in Big Ten games, the game could be the perfect chance for the Trojans to capitalize on the Wolverines’ lack of momentum. 

USC holds an 8-2 all-time record against Michigan State, with the Trojans sweeping in their last matchup. With the Spartans ending their season last year in 10th place, the Trojans could have another strong chance at a win. 

The Spartans enter conference play with stronger overall numbers, as Michigan State won 10 matches in a row during its nonconference games, with an overall record of 11-1 trumping the Trojans’ 2026 record of 7-5. 

The Spartans have been winning off their attacks, hitting .306, while the Trojans have been hitting just .200. Even though Michigan State is coming in confident on offense, USC has accumulated 120.5 combined blocks so far, showing that the Trojans are creating walls on the court, which could decrease the Spartans’ offensive effectiveness. 

With the Trojans coming off a loss, these matches will prove to be a chance at redemption in the upcoming battles against the Michigan-based powerhouses. 

As the conference season is only beginning, the Trojans have plenty of time to solidify their offense and momentum before facing usual conference leaders, including No. 1 Nebraska (14-0, 3-0) and No. 6 Wisconsin (9-4, 3-0). 

USC will take on Michigan on Friday at 8 p.m. at Galen Center.