USC Gets Week 0 Win, Three Big Ten Teams Open on Thursday

College football season is officially underway with Week 0 this past Saturday. No. 14 USC, the lone Big Ten team playing, defeated San Jose State in Los Angeles behind three touchdowns from quarterback Jayden Maiava and strong performances on both sides of the ball. 

The Trojans’ Week 0 win has set the slate for the 2026 Big Ten season, with three more teams starting their campaigns this Thursday night. 

Maiava, New Options Jumpstart Trojans’ 2026 

USC kicked off the Big Ten football season with a high-scoring 42-26 win over San Jose State at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Quarterback Jayden Maiava started off the campaign on a high note, completing 25-of-29 passes for 286 yards and two touchdowns, while also adding a score on the ground. Freshman wideout Trent Mosley made an explosive debut, catching seven passes for 118 yards and a touchdown. Maiava hit 10 different targets while cruising to the win, showing promise for a Trojan offense that lost star receivers Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane to the NFL. 

On the other side of the ball, Gary Patterson’s Trojan defense gave up just three points in the first three quarters. While late scores softened the final 42-26 margin, the first-team unit set a dominant, physical tone to open the season. 

Check out Mosley’s first career touchdown,  and  read the full recap . 

Thursday Night Previews 

This week, the remaining 17 Big Ten teams begin their seasons, including three games on Thursday night before more games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Before the action begins, dive deep into the top storylines, quarterback battles, and title contenders in our  2026 Big Ten Season Plotlines & Preview.  

Rutgers vs. UMass (6:00 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network) 

Greg Schiano’s Scarlet Knights kick off Week 1 under the lights at SHI Stadium against UMass. Rutgers returns elite playmakers in wideout KJ Duff and running back Antwan Raymond, who are both coming off top-15 national finishes in receiving and rushing yards, respectively. But with new quarterback Dylan Lonergan at the helm, the Scarlet Knights’ signal-caller will be the primary storyline to watch against the Minutemen.  

Minnesota vs. Eastern Illinois (8:00 p.m. ET on Peacock) 

Minnesota hosts EIU at Huntington Bank Stadium looking to jumpstart a successful campaign in P.J. Fleck’s 10^th season with the Golden Gophers. With NFL Draft prospect Drake Lindsey leading the Golden Gophers' revamped air attack, along with running back Darius Taylor returning for his senior season, Minnesota looks to set an aggressive offensive tone early.  

Illinois vs. UAB (9:00 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network) 

Bret Bielema’s squad faces a run-first UAB offense under the lights at Gies Memorial Stadium. After 10-3 and 9-4 seasons that both ended in bowl game wins, Illinois will look to add on with East Carolina transfer Katin Houser at the helm, backed by dynamic running back Ca’Lil Valentine and wide receiver Hudson Clement. 

Get Ready

The three Thursday night matchups will set the stage for a jam-packed opening weekend, which includes No. 6 Indiana opening its title defense against North Texas and No. 2 Oregon hosting the defending Mountain West Champion Boise State. 

Check out the complete Week 1 football schedule for the Big Ten  here .