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USC lands just outside preseason Top 25 Coaches Poll

Erik-McKinneyby: Erik McKinney08/04/25ErikTMcKinney

The 2025 preseason continues to provide bulletin board material for the USC Trojans as Lincoln Riley’s program looks to bounce back from a disappointing 7-6 season last fall. On Monday, the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll was released and the Trojans landed outside of the Top 25.

USC is the fourth team among “Others Receiving Votes,” which slots the Trojans at No. 29 overall. The Trojans earned 116 votes.

Texas grabbed the preseason No. 1 ranking in the poll, along with 28 of the 67 first-place votes. Ohio State is No. 2 and earned 20 first-place votes. Penn State is No. 3 and grabbed 14 first-place votes. Georgia is No. 4 with three first-place votes and Notre Dame rounds out the top five. Clemson, at No. 6, earned the final two first-place votes. Those first-place votes are far more spread out this season compared to last, when Georgia opened with 46 of the 55 first-place votes.

Opening at No. 29, USC sits behind Oklahoma, Missouri and Louisville among teams receiving votes but outside of the Top 25. The Trojans will face four teams in the preseason rankings and all four are among the nation’s Top 15 teams. Notre Dame opens at No. 5, Oregon is No. 7, Illinois is No. 12 and Michigan is No. 14. USC will also face Iowa (No. 33) and Nebraska (No. 39) as programs that received votes.

Overall, the Big Ten opens with six teams ranked in the Top 25. The SEC leads the way with nine.

Complete Preseason Coaches Poll

1. Texas
2. Ohio State
3. Penn State
4. Georgia
5. Notre Dame
6. Clemson
7. Oregon
8. Alabama
9. LSU
10. Miami
11. Arizona State
12. Illinois
13. South Carolina
14. Michigan
15. Ole Miss
16. SMU
17. Florida
18. Tennessee
19. Indiana
20. Kansas State
T21. Texas A&M
T21. Iowa State
23. BYU
24. Texas Tech
25. Boise State

    Others receiving votes in Coaches Poll: Oklahoma 221; Missouri 142; Louisville 126; USC 116; Utah 86; Baylor 76; Auburn 50; Iowa 49; Memphis 34; Army West Point 33; Tulane 31; Georgia Tech 27; TCU 24; Nebraska 19; Syracuse 16; Washington 15; Navy 14; Arkansas 14; Duke 12; Colorado 12; Minnesota 11; UNLV 8; Florida State 8; Kansas 6; Vanderbilt 3; Buffalo 1

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