Locked On USC - Daily Podcast on USC Trojans Football & Basketball

Big Ten recruiting heats up as top coaches vie for 2026 talent. Will Washington's defensive upgrades translate to more wins next season? Spencer McLaughlin and the Locked On Big Ten Squad analyze college football's recruiting landscape, spotlighting the conference's best talent hunters. The hosts break down 2026 class projections for powerhouses like Ohio State, Michigan, and USC, exploring how NI...

USC's 2026 offensive line class is big, deep, and talented; Esun Tafa is one of them. The top offensive line prospect from Utah joined the shout talk about why USC is the place to be. #usc #uscfootball #uscbasketball #recruiting #chadbowden #transferportal, #lasvegasbowl #Trojans #ucla #bruins #notredamefightinirish #notrdamefootball #cfp #collegefootballplayoffs #michiganwolverines #michiganfootb...

Chase Deniz was raised in a UCLA house but the class of 2026 offensive lineman from San Diego needed just one visit to USC's campus to convert him a make him a Trojan for Life. Chase is one of the biggest commits in the class and we talk about his recruitment and everything else with his decision to put on the Cardinal & Gold. #usc #uscfootball #uscbasketball #recruiting #chadbowden #transferporta...

Heading into Year No.4 in the USC Lincoln Riley era the question is, are the Trojans close or are they a year away from competing for a conference championship. In the first segment I detail why the 2025 Trojans are ahead of schedule and ready to compete at the top of the league. Coach Riley said he needs to trim some fat off his quarterback if he wants to play to his best potential. I detail what...

USC's No.1 ranked  2026 recruiting class secured a massive commitment from the country's No.1 TE, Mark Bowman and it has teams from the SEC upset about. I explain why the Trojans are keeping everyone home this recruiting class and why other programs are upset. Now that the month of June is has started, so will the official visits. In the second segment, I have the latest news and notes on who is c...

USC fans now know the kickoff times for 5 of their 12 games in 2026, including their first three games, the game at Notre Dame, as well as a Friday night in L.A. The Trojans will play back to back weeks in LA before playing at Purdue, and then later in the season they'll host Northwestern on a Friday night. The Trojans class of 2026 has had a ton of momentum and they have picked up some more. In t...

USC Trojans football is on the brink of a pivotal season. Can Lincoln Riley lead them to a 9-10 win season? With the college football landscape shifting, the Trojans face potential SEC vs Big Ten matchups, and the stakes have never been higher. Join Spencer McLaughlin and a panel of experts, including Mark Culkin and Jacob Goins, as they dissect USC's upcoming challenges and the evolving college f...

Madden Riordan has been committed to USC's class of 2026 since November of 2023, some might say he was a Trojan before he was even offered. On this episode of Locked On USC Madden talks about his recruitment, why he chose USC, as well everything else Trojan fans want to know from one of the best safeties in the country. #usc #uscfootball #uscbasketball #recruiting #chadbowden #transferportal, #las...

The Trojans and Spartans will go to war in September. So while the game is still 4 months away, it's not too early to have a crossover and talk and talk with the enemy. Locked On Spartans host, Matt Sheehan and myself got together to discuss what each program did during the offseason, and was it enough to improve on what they did in 2024. #usc #uscfootball #uscbasketball #recruiting #chadbowden #t...

USC was built on star power and it's looking to build some more in 2025. The defense took a big step in 2024 and the stars need to take the next step in 2025. D'Anton Lynn's side of the ball has some names to lean on this season, but which ones will become stars? I have a list of names in the first segment. In the second segment, I explain how Jacobi Lane and Makai Lemon can take the pressure off...

USC's 2026 recruiting class is pacing the field and once the recruits commit they're sending a message to rest that of the guys that it's time for them to shut it down too. Over the weekend USC got the news that big Jaimeon Winfield is shutting his recruitment down and will only take his official visit to USC. Others that have shut it down include Shahn Alston, Brandon Lockhart, Esun Tafa, and  Ke...

There is one thing Locked On USC and Locked Irish agree on; The greatest intersectional rivalry in college football history needs to continue no matter what. On this important crossover episode Tyler Wojciak joins me to talk about the rivalry, it's impact on both programs,, and ways to keep the rivalry going as the new college football playoff landscape gets worked out. #usc #uscfootball #uscbaske...

USC has the No.1 recruiting class for 2026 and the official visit season is still a couple of weeks away. Brian Smith from The Portal Show offers some reasons why. The Trojans are in the pole position and the only question is, will they be able to hold on or will the class come back to earth as we get closer to signing day? Plus, Brian joins me for the Friday Rant. This week we take our turn telli...

USC and Notre Dame's storied rivalry faces an uncertain future. Could this be the end of an era in college football? Dive into the potential shake-up in NCAA governance and its implications for teams like the Minnesota Golden Gophers and Ohio State Buckeyes. Spencer McLaughlin, alongside guests Roman Tomashaw and Zach Seiko, explores the impact of a proposed 40-team playoff and the controversial n...

The Trojans still have the No.1 recruiting class despite losing its highest ranked recruit, and it's because of the way USC is recruiting on the defensive side of the ball. The Trojans have 30% of the best committed defensive linemen on top of owning 30% of the best defensive backs who are already committed, and the official visits haven't even started yet. Lincoln Riley's own words will come back...

If USC allows its rivalry with Notre Dame to end, then Trojan Football will end up losing its identity and its soul and will have killed one more piece of college football. I have a lot more to say regarding USC's efforts to continue the rivalry and why Lincoln Riley needs to start swinging his bat and not look for a walk in the park type of schedule. The Trojans will be hosting official visits in...

USC and Notre Dame have played each other 95 times but there's a chance the rivalry won't make it to 100 unless the Trojans' can agree to a new long-term deal. Lincoln Riley talked about the possibility last year during the B1G 10 Media Days, and the topic is coming up again nationally. I have my opinion on why this series cannot come to an end no matter what. #usc #uscfootball #uscbasketball #rec...

USC has one of the top recruiting classes in the country but if they want to make it elite, there are two players they must get. Two more local recruits are must gets. WRs Madden Williams from St. John Bosco, and Vance Spafford from Mission Viejo have their official visits lined up and I have some quotes from one of them following this past weekend's passing league tournament. The Trojans are winn...

USC is catching a lot of shade for their no visit policy but they're doing it because they don't want a repeat of last year. But what if USC didn't cause Xavier Griffin's de-commitment? I have new information that might have played a role in how things went down and why NIL is at the center of it. Another preseason list was released and USC has two of the top 100 returning players in college footb...

Is the college football landscape on the brink of a seismic shift? With talks of expanding the College Football Playoff to 16 teams, the debate heats up as experts weigh in on the implications for the Big Ten and SEC. Craig Sheeman and Trent Condon offer contrasting views on whether this expansion dilutes competition or provides new opportunities for teams like the Iowa Hawkeyes. The discussion al...

USC's 2026 recruiting class has been all positive on the way to its No.1 rated class. But now with Xavier Griffin's de-commitment, some are questioning USC's strategy. Ever since Chad Bowden came aboard as USC's General Manage, he's made all the right moves, however, one rule might be coming back to bite the hand with the Midas Touch Agree or disagree; consistency and discipline are more important...

There is some speculation that USC is going to receive "significant recruiting news" soon. The question is what is the news and when will it happen, if at all? I have the details during the show's first segment and offer some thoughts on what to could be. According to Anthony Jones, Jr., the Trojans have more options in the running back room in 2025 When I say down with Coach Jones recently he sha...

USC's recruiting is going so well, they're getting commitments out of nowhere. For the 2nd day in a row, Rob Ryan's room added another linebacker to the 2026 class. The Trojans now have 28 commitments with the addition of Taylor Johnson's pledge. The young man is being recruited to play linebacker despite questions about his size. I have the details in the show's first segment. Another Top 25 pres...

The USC and Mater Dei recruiting pipeline is working like a well-oiled machine. The Trojans got a commitment from linebacker Shaun Scott strengthening its No.1 class. Lincoln Riley and general Manager Chad Bowden put a recruiting plan into motion and it's working the way they want, especially with the local recruits. In this episode, I explain why USC's 2026 recruiting strategy is working and what...

$40 million in NIL deals: Is college football's Big Ten conference reshaping the sport's financial landscape? As the debate over potential salary caps heats up, Michigan State's upcoming season predictions add another layer of intrigue. Explore the dynamics of NIL deals and their impact on competitive balance, with insights from key figures like Ryan Herrings and Zach Seka. The discussion covers t...