San José State Spartans at USC Trojans

The Big Ten is stacked again this year, but I like USC to have their first crack at being a contender since entering the conference in 2024. An early season tilt against San Jose State should be just the thing they need to work out the kinks, gain confidence, and get the new year off to a flying start. Watch the defense, led by Garry Patterson. He's a magician and I'll be interested to see how his approach meshes with the offensive schemes of Lincoln Riley. Could be a great year in Los Angeles.