USC Officially Joins Big Ten—5 Huge Changes Every College Football Fan Must Know

LOS ANGELES — With classes starting Monday and the Trojans’ first kickoff just days away, the University of Southern California sits at the center of two storylines that have USC surging up search rankings: a record-setting freshman move-in and a 2025 football schedule that introduces full-time Big Ten play. Campus buzz Nearly 9,000 freshmen and transfers rolled their suitcases down Trousdale Parkway this weekend, the largest incoming cohort in school history — a 6 percent jump year-over-year. Housing officials report 98 percent occupancy in university residences, while local hotels from Downtown to Santa Monica are booked solid through Labor Day, underscoring USC’s growing economic footprint in Los Angeles. Tuition and aid The class of 2029 arrives as overall attendance costs approach $100,000; however, USC says two-thirds of undergraduates receive need-based or merit aid and first-gen students make up almost 22 percent of the new class. That balance is central to President Carol Folt’s “Access and Excellence” initiative, which also funds the just-opened 116,000-square-foot Student Health Center and the AI-focused School of Advanced Computing. Gridiron spotlight Off the field, Lincoln Riley’s Trojans have released a headline-grabbing 2025 slate that opens Aug 30 vs. Missouri State and features nine Big Ten games, including home dates with Michigan and Iowa plus road tilts at Notre Dame and Oregon. Analysts already peg USC as a preseason top-10 team, citing Heisman-candidate quarterback Malachi Nelson and the nation’s No. 2 transfer class. Fox, NBC and CBS will split national broadcasts, giving USC primetime exposure in every time zone. Why it matters • First chance to measure USC against its new Big Ten peers before West Coast playoff games become a reality in the expanded 12-team CFP. • Tourism windfall: L.A. Tourism projects an additional $45 million in visitor spending tied to home games versus Michigan and UCLA. • Recruiting ripple: Nine of the Trojans’ 15 verbal commits hail from Big Ten territory, proof the coast-to-coast schedule is resonating in living rooms from Chicago to Detroit. Key dates • Aug 30 — Season opener vs. Missouri State, 4:30 p.m. PT (FS1) • Sept 13 — First-ever trip to Purdue on CBS • Oct 18 — Rivalry renewal at Notre Dame (NBC/Peacock) • Nov 22 — Playoff-shaping showdown at Oregon • Nov 29 — Crosstown clash vs. UCLA, network TBA Bottom line From dorm drop-offs to Big Ten kickoffs, USC’s fall calendar blends academic momentum with athletic ambition. If Riley’s squad navigates its gauntlet, Southern California could host more than a Rose Bowl come January — the Trojans might deliver L.A.’s first College Football Playoff home game and cement USC as the West Coast’s flagship in a new era of college sports realignment.