USC Football: How The Trojans Big 10 Move Affects Top Recruiting Prospects

The Big-10 move will help in multiple ways!

USC has been a hotbed for talent since they started playing football all those years ago. Historically, The Trojans have been one of the better programs, partly due to where they are located. Being set in the heart of Southern California, USC has benefitted from strong recruiting classes almost every season.

Now with head coach Lincoln Riley in the mix, the Trojans once again are heading back towards the top of college football. And with the school moving from the Pac-12 over to the Big-10 in 2024, it should only increase the already high volume of top recruits that the school gets.

The Trojans are a household name for many top college football prospects, but the one thing going against them has been their competition. Playing in a weaker conference like the Pac-12 has negatively impacted the team, especially in the current College Football Playoff era.

USC hasn’t been good enough to reach the playoff yet, but the Pac-12 conference as a unit hasn’t been able to consistently reach the College Football Playoff. But now, as they enter the Big-10, the chances of a playoff berth heavily increase.

The Athletic interviewed multiple anonymous Midwest high school football coaches, and one gave their thoughts on how this conference move will impact recruiting for a powerhouse like USC. 

“That’s going to influence kids, quite honestly, from the NIL (standpoint) because it’s opening up the L.A. market,” the coach said. “There’s a potential for people to make more in NIL which I think will really impact kids’ decisions and parents’ decisions. … You’re talking about prime-time games, more visibility, more earning potential. I think they’re definitely going to become players for our marquee kids in the Midwest that can play on the big stage.”

Per The Athletic

For the first time, the Trojans can offer potential recruits the ability to play in the big Big-10 games against teams like Ohio State or Michigan while calling Southern California their home. It may be the biggest part of all of this and will likely only increase the recruiting classes for USC.

Some have heavily criticized the move to the Big-10, but it should be very beneficial for the Trojans. They already look like one of the best teams in college football, and that should only continue with the conference move.