2016 USC schedule released
USC official press release
LOS ANGELES—The 2016 football schedule for defending Pac-12 South Division champion USC has been announced by the Pac-12 and it features six home games in the Coliseum, including the annual battle with intersectional rival Notre Dame, Oregon’s first visit to the Coliseum since 2012 and a Thursday night contest against California.
Overall, USC’s 12-game schedule features 11 teams that are playing in bowls this season (including three in New Year’s Six bowls), six that have won at least eight games (including three that have 10-plus victories) and five that are in the current AP Top 25 poll.
Troy’s non-conference opponents in 2016 are Alabama, Notre Dame and Utah State. The Trojans will play nine Pac-12 foes in the 2016 regular season (all but Oregon State and Washington State).
New season tickets, starting at just $295 for all six home games, can be purchased at USCTrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/2015-FBST-Holiday-Gift.html or by calling (213) 740-GOSC (4672). Fans who purchase new season tickets by Dec. 21 will receive a USC mini helmet signed by Trojan head coach Clay Helton, while supplies last.
Current season ticket holders will receive 2016 renewal information in early January.
USC will open its 2016 season on Sept. 3 of Labor Day weekend against 2015 College Football Playoff semifinalist Alabama at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Tex. All 2016 season ticket holders will receive priority access to purchase tickets to the first meeting between the Trojans and Crimson Tide since 1985.
The Trojans then have their home opener as they welcome Utah State of the Mountain West Conference on Sept. 10.
Next, for the sixth year in a row, USC will play the Pac-12’s first conference game of the year when it travels to defending Pac-12 champion Stanford on Sept. 17.
USC then goes to Utah, which tied for the Pac-12 South crown, for a Friday night encounter on Sept. 23.
Troy then returns home for a pair of games, first versus Arizona State on Oct. 1 and then Colorado on Oct. 8, before traveling to Arizona on Oct. 15.
After a bye, USC hosts California on Thursday night, Oct. 27. It will be just the fourth non-Thanksgiving or non-bowl Thursday game that Troy has played in the Coliseum.
The Trojans remain at home the following week to host Oregon on Nov. 5, the Ducks’ first appearance in the Coliseum in four years.
USC then will play its first game in Husky Stadium since 2009 when it faces Washington on Nov. 12. Troy’s last game against UW in Seattle was at CenturyLink Field in 2012 while Husky Stadium underwent renovations.
Troy stays on the road when it meets crosstown rival UCLA on Nov. 19 in the Rose Bowl. USC then concludes its regular season by hosting the traditional foe Notre Dame in a Thanksgiving weekend clash on Nov. 26.
Game times and television plans for USC’s 2016 games will be announced at a later date. All games will be nationally televised by either the ESPN channels, ABC, FOX, FOX Sports 1 or Pac-12 Networks.
The 2016 Pac-12 Championship Game will be played on Friday, Dec. 2, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
USC currently is 8-5 in 2015 and headed to meet Wisconsin in the Dec. 30 Holiday Bowl in San Diego. The Trojans have won 5 of their last 8 games since Helton was named interim head coach on Oct. 12 and then permanent head coach on Nov. 30. Up to 16 starters from this year’s squad could return in 2016, including a quartet of All-Pac-12 first teamers in WR JuJu Smith Schuster, CB-WR-RET Adoree’ Jackson, OLB Su’a Cravens and OT Zach Banner and a pair of Freshman All-American first teamers in ILB Cameron Smith and CB Iman Marshall.
2016 USC FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Sept. 3 – vs. Alabama @ Arlington, Tex.
Sept. 10 – Utah State
Sept. 17 – at Stanford
Sept. 23 (Fr.) – at Utah
Oct. 1 – Arizona State
Oct. 8 – Colorado
Oct. 15 – at Arizona
Oct. 27 (Th.) – California
Nov. 5 – Oregon
Nov. 12 – at Washington
Nov. 19 – at UCLA
Nov. 26 – Notre Dame
