The fact that USC will be in the Big Ten Conference in 2024 is part of the equation for 2024 recruits who are considering their college choice. These recruits won’t play a down in the Pac-12. They know that when they come to USC, they are signing up for a conference schedule in which they will play either Michigan (2024) or Ohio State (2025) in a given season. They will play Wisconsin and Penn State in the next two seasons.
USC recruits have been given a taste (on their official visits) of the beach lifestyle in Los Angeles, and the great weather offered by Southern California. Yet, they get to play Ohio State or Michigan plus Penn State and Wisconsin in their conference schedules. They will receive a level of television visibility they wouldn’t have received in the Pac-12 Conference.
It is hard to ignore the reality that playing Big Ten football at USC gives recruits much more national exposure while still giving them a chance to spend most of their time in Los Angeles, a city where there’s plenty to explore.
The Big Ten is certainly a factor in getting recruits from all over the country to play for Lincoln Riley at USC.
We talked about this and a lot more with Mark Rogers at The Voice of College Football:
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