USC restructures bye week routine after Ohio State win

The No. 15 Trojans have altered how they spend their weeks off from game play. Following a victory over No. 21 Ohio State, the team entered a bye week with a new approach to practice and recovery. The goal is to avoid a repeat of last season's bye week, when USC lost to unranked Wisconsin. The next opponent is No. 6 Indiana, who holds an 8-1 overall record and a 5-1 mark in conference play.

Head coach Lincoln Riley stated that the squad arrived at this break with more work completed. He noted that the team felt pushed hard enough during the previous week to feel 'quite a bit further ahead' than they were before the Wisconsin game. The changes include longer practice sessions, one additional practice day, and more first-team against first-team scenarios. The short interval between bye weeks has also helped players maintain freshness and allowed staff to deepen their knowledge of the roster.

Riley explained that the staff learned specific lessons about preparation, recovery, and practice rhythm. He emphasized that the focus was not just on volume but on the buildup leading into the game. The program officially renamed the bye week a 'standard week' to signal its importance to the players. Running back Waymond Jordan said the team bought into the concept. He said, 'We knew we needed to get better that week and not just go out there and just be lazy.'

USC moved up two spots to No. 18 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings released on Tuesday night. The rise followed a two-place drop for Ohio State, which fell to No. 20. Mississippi also dropped nine spots after a 42-7 loss to Georgia, creating room for the Trojans. The CFP announced this week that the playoff field will expand to 24 teams for the 2027 season. Conference championship games for Power 4 conferences will be eliminated under the new format.

Riley, who won four Big 12 titles at Oklahoma, addressed the structural changes. He said, 'It’ll be sad to see some of the conference championship games go.' However, he believes the new playoff structure could be 'equally great if not even better.' He expressed excitement about how the changes will affect the calendar and the game.

Quarterback Jayden Maiava was selected for the Davey O'Brien Class of 2026. He is one of 31 players eligible for the national quarterback award. Maiava leads the Big Ten with 22 completions per game, 20 passing touchdowns, and 2,524 passing yards. He is tied for second in program history in yards per attempt at 8.6, trailing only Caleb Williams' 9.2. Maiava is also a finalist for the Freddie Solomon Community Spirit Award. Over the summer, he returned to his hometown of Pālolo Valley to host a football clinic and speak to local students.

Running back King Miller is among 10 semifinalists for the Burlsworth Trophy. The award honors the best walk-on in college football. Miller started as a walk-on and earned a scholarship after the 2025 season. He is USC's leading rusher this year with 681 yards and five touchdowns on 138 carries. Miller has rushed for more than 100 yards in three games, including 128 against Louisiana, 102 against Rutgers, and 102 against Penn State.