Wk Opp. Date Location

1. Sept. 3 8 PM ET ABC Arlington, TX

Season-Opening Heavyweight Showdown Opening with the defending national champion is going to be a strong test for new, permanent head coach Clay Helton. If USC should win this game, it’s all downhill from here.

2. Sept. 10 2 PM ET Pac-12N Los Angeles, CA

Matt Wells and the Aggies return to the Coliseum. The last time these two met, USC surrendered five sacks to the Aggies in an extremely close 17-14 win.

3. Sept. 17 8 PM ET ABC Stanford, CA

Pac-12 Opener Stanford running back and Heiman Trophy runner-up Christian McCaffrey introduced himself to the world largely on the back of the USC Trojans. McCaffrey had a total of 464 yards from scrimmage against the Trojans in just two games last season.

4. Sept. 23 9 PM ET FS1 Salt Lake City, UT

A Friday night game, the Utes are a relatively straightforward opponent for the Trojans. This game always comes down to creating turnovers and winning at the line of scrimmage.

5. Oct. 1 Los Angeles, CA

Arizona State is a very dangerous team for USC. Todd Graham’s scheme has caused fits for the Trojans and these two have created some memorable moments over the years. Expect the Sun Devils to come to Los Angeles with an upset on the agenda.

6. Oct. 8 Los Angeles, CA

Potential Trap Game? Colorado is a maturing team and while the Buffaloes’ overall 2015 record may not be that impressive, it discounts the number of single-possession games they lost. This is a capable team and it’s only a matter of time before someone takes them too lightly.

7. Oct. 15 Tucson, AZ

Expect Arizona to be much improved in 2015. The addition of new defensive coordinator Donte Williams from San Jose State will pay dividends in recruiting and on that side of the ball. Williams’ scheme and mindset are perfectly suited for the Wildcats and he will definitely make them more formidable on defense.

9. Oct. 27 10:30 PM ET ESPN Los Angeles, CA

This game has the potential to be a thrilling shootout. Newly minted Cal offensive coordinator Jake Spavital will bring with him tons of creativity and points on offense. Being physical might not be enough for USC in this matchup, the Trojans also will need to bring their track shoes.

10. Nov. 5 Los Angeles, CA

The Oregon machine keeps rolling and will bring its up-tempo, explosive and entertaining act to the Coliseum. The Ducks put on a show on the Trojans’ home turf a couple years ago, running them out of their own house and breaking several records along the way. Expect this game to be a war or over very, very quickly. There doesn’t seem to be a middle ground with these two teams.

11. Nov. 12 Seattle, WA

It’s a Trap! Part Deux Seattle has been hit or miss for the Trojans in recent years. In addition to their vaunted defense, the Huskies have quarterback Jake Browning entering this season with high expectations as a result of his productive freshman campaign. This game has trap written all over since the Trojans will be coming off the Oregon game and possibly looking ahead to the following week against UCLA.

12. Nov. 19 Pasadena, CA

The Battle for the Victory Bell ratchets up a notch now that quarterback Josh Rosen will be a year older and more familiar with the Bruins’ offense. The Pac-12 Freshman of the Year showed exactly why he was the most sought-after quarterback in his recruiting class. A lot is expected of Rosen and beating USC will help him get his legacy off on the right foot.

13. Nov. 26 Los Angeles, CA