USC Leads College Football in Intriguing Stat

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Brendan Howe | Last updated Mar 13, 2025 10:23 PM ET

Lincoln Riley is putting together quite the crop of recruits for USC. Those additions should help a Trojans team that paled in comparison to Oregon in the program's first season in the Big Ten.

According to a post uploaded Thursday on X by On3, USC has nine blue-chip commitments in its 2026 recruiting class. That total is the most in the country, in front of Texas A&M (8), Oregon (7), and Clemson (6). LSU, Auburn, Penn State, Notre Dame, Miami, and Florida State each have five.

Four- and five-star players are tagged with blue-chip status.

As of now, the Trojans' 2026 recruiting class is the top-ranked collection of talent in the nation. The group includes linebacker Xavier Griffin, cornerbacks RJ Sermons and Brandon Lockhart, quarterback Jonas Williams, edge rusher Simote Katoanga, running back Shahn Alston, receiver Trent Mosley, defensive lineman Braeden Jones, and interior offensive lineman Esun Tafa.

Riley's crew was ranked as high as No. 11 in the Associated Press poll last season but finished 7-6, including a 4-5 mark in conference play. USC's record has declined in each of the two seasons since it went 11-3 during Riley's first campaign at the helm.

Oregon, meanwhile, settled right in. The Ducks went undefeated in Big Ten play and won the league's crown before Ohio State ended their undefeated season in the College Football Playoff Rose Bowl quarterfinal.

Recruiting classes don't always equate to wins, but Riley can hope the future is brighter than it has been in Los Angeles.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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