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Sep 30, 2023; Boulder, Colorado, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley during the game against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field. Chet Strange-Imagn Images

Early College Football Rankings: USC Trojans, Lincoln Riley Unranked In Top-25

Originally posted on USC Trojans on SI | By Charlie Viehl | Last updated May 4, 2025 2:08 PM ET

After a disappointing 2024 season, will the USC Trojans re-enter the AP Top-25 Poll in 2025? The AP's preseason poll is not typically released until August, but multiple offseason editions of top-25 rankings have the Trojans unranked.

USA Today's Paul Myerberg and Erick Smith recently released their top-25 rankings, and the Trojans did not make the cut. Additionally, USC was left out of ESPN's early top-25 rankings.

USC coach Lincoln Riley has made a number of changes to the program in the offseason, but will the results be noticed immediately? Riley and the Trojans hired general manager Chad Bowden, linebackers coach Rob Ryan, and they are looking to replace director of football performance Bennie Wylie. USC has a ton of momentum on the recruiting trail, but the Trojans' star-studded class of 2026 still has some time before arriving on campus.

As a result, there is not much preseason hype surrounding the Trojans in 2025. USC quarterback Jayden Maiava will have a chance at a full season as the starter after he replaced former Trojans quarterback Miller Moss for the last four games of 2024. As the starter at USC, Maiava has a 3-1 record.

Around Maiava on the Trojans offense are a number of playmakers: running back Waymond Jordan, receivers Makai Lemon, and Ja'Kobi Lane. The offensive line has some question marks, but tackle Elijah Paige and guard Alani Noa are returning. USC also added some offensive linemen through the transfer portal, like J'Onre Reed and DJ Wingfield.

The Trojans added players like Reed and Wingfield during the winter, but the spring transfer portal window was relatively quiet with Utah wide receiver Zacharyus Williams, Notre Dame safety Kennedy Urlacher, and Penn State linebacker Ta'Mere Robinson all committing to USC.

USC also returns linebacker Eric Gentry and safety Kamari Ramsey green dot guy, and they are expected to be the leaders of the Trojans defense. Additionally, the Trojans have a talented defensive linemen like Keeshawn Silver, Anthony Lucas, and Kameryn Fountain, to name a few.

As is expected, the USC has some stiff competition in the Big Ten with schools like Ohio State, Penn State, and Oregon. Other teams like Illinois and Indiana are expected to build off of quality 2024 seasons, and the Trojans also have the rivalry game with Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish reached the National Championship last season, and they are expected to be a top team in the nation again in 2025.

According to DraftKings, USC's win total for the 2025 season is currently set at 7.5. In the final AP Top-25 Poll from the 2024 season, the Colorado Buffaloes were ranked No. 25 with a 9-4 record. If the Trojans will be ranked, they will certainly have to win more than seven games.