NBC has prominently featured USC football this season, with the Trojans appearing in six of the network’s first nine broadcasts, including their upcoming game against No. 2 Ohio State. This marks the highest number of televised appearances for any single Big Ten team since the conference expanded to 18 members in 2024.
USC head coach Lincoln Riley has quickly become a focal point for NBC, which has embraced the Trojans despite its long-standing association with Notre Dame, USC’s traditional rival. The decision to spotlight USC evolved organically, according to NBC executives, as the network sought to highlight compelling matchups throughout the college football season.
Justin Byczek, NBC’s executive vice president of programming and rights management, explained that the network’s scheduling strategy involves prioritizing high-profile games during the draft process. NBC identified key contests involving USC—including those against Ohio State, Penn State, and Oregon—as ideal fits for prime-time slots. The Trojans’ West Coast location and brand recognition make them a natural anchor for NBC’s 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time broadcasts.
Despite NBC’s investment in USC, the Trojans have yet to become dominant ratings drivers relative to other conferences. USC’s game against Oregon drew 5 million viewers on NBC and Peacock, the highest attendance for a Trojans game this season, placing only once in the weekly top five most-watched matchups. Overall, the Big Ten has secured the week’s highest viewership only twice—once with Ohio State-Iowa on CBS and once with Ohio State-Indiana on Fox—while ABC has consistently led in prime-time viewership, often drawing audiences exceeding 10 million.
NBC hopes that the intrigue surrounding Riley and the Trojans’ quest to establish themselves as a national power will boost its ratings in the competitive prime-time landscape dominated by ABC. “College football fans want to see if they can get over the hump. Can Lincoln Riley get them there?” said Noah Eagle, NBC’s lead play-by-play announcer.
As USC prepares to face Ohio State in what will likely be a highly anticipated matchup, NBC is positioning the Trojans as its centerpiece on the West Coast, emphasizing the drama surrounding Riley’s tenure and the team’s potential. With three more Big Ten games remaining on NBC’s schedule, USC’s role in the network’s broadcast plans is expected to remain significant as the season progresses.