The No. 20 USC Trojans have a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff to chase. Starting with facing the No. 4 Indiana Hoosiers on Nov. 7.

And 2026 will officially mark the last time USC, plus the rest of the Football Bowl Subdivision realm, will deal with this playoff format.

Rumors of a 24-team bracket expansion began back as early as Oct. 15. Now ESPN and the CFP have made it a reality, agreeing to a blockbuster reported $1.7 billion deal on the morning of Nov. 9. This new 24-team format now takes place for the 2027-28 season with ESPN now broadcasting the coverage.

Hidden Impact 24-Team College Football Playoff Format Has on USC

Now teams can throw out visualizing chasing after an appearance in their conference championship game, including Big Ten teams. Because this new format eliminates the SEC, ACC, Big 12 and Big Ten title games within the Power Four realm.

Which leads to the hidden impact this now has on USC: The Trojans now must hit a 9-win ceiling to become widely considered for the new playoff moving forward. USC no longer needs to pressure itself to hit 10-2 or higher thanks to the 24-team format.

Might the Notre Dame game be back on the table between USC and the Fighting Irish?

Granted, going 10-2 during the 2027 campaign can likely increase USC's chances of landing one of the top eight seeds.

The best eight programs will receive a first round bye in the new bracket. Of course, USC's chances will grow higher if the 2027 Trojans finish 11-1 or 12-0, with the latter record presenting a case for the No. 1 seed. But regardless, nine looks like the magic number of victories that every team, including USC, must hit to assure they can land a postseason spot next season.

Teams that went 9-3 in the Power Four faced longer odds to make it in via the 12-team playoff, and needed to rely on the strength of schedule argument to win over the CFP committee. This also lures back a well-known quote from coach Lincoln Riley back in Oct. 2026.

Lincoln Riley Once Vouched for Playoff Expansion

Riley himself became a critic of the current 12-team College Football Playoff. Even believing that expansion was necessary during an Oct. 26 presser.

"When you get a room of 50 coaches or whatever we have in this conference together, it’s hard to get everybody to be unanimous on something,” Riley said. “This is something where our room has been unanimous.”

Still, USC remains in the hunt to land at one of the 12 slots of the 2026 bracket. Especially if the Trojans win out by beating ranked Indiana, topping unranked Maryland on Nov. 21, and defeating rival and eighth-ranked UCLA on Nov. 28 after Thanksgiving.

What if 24-Team Playoff Existed Before for USC?

USC would likely make it in had the 12-team field doubled this season. Regardless if USC loses one more game.

The Trojans would've locked in the No. 20 seed had this format existed in 2026. That would've also meant USC would head to Rocky Top and face the 13th-seeded Tennessee Volunteers down in SEC country. With the winner facing the defending national champion IU Hoosiers.

USC even would've clinched a spot in the 2025 playoff if the upcoming format existed. Former Pac-12 rival turned Big 12 representative Arizona would've been the opponent with the Trojans as the 16th seed.

Here is what the 24-team #CFP bracket would've looked like if it was in place last season 🍿🏆 pic.twitter.com/oQVyVPBeDd

— CFP (@CFBPlayoff) November 9, 2026

And that 2025 USC team ended the regular season at 9-3, further presenting the nine-win argument that benefits teams like the Trojans moving forward.