Oregon Ducks Drop In Recruiting Class Rankings As USC Trojans Surge

EUGENE – The Oregon Ducks and USC Trojans have been going head-to-head for some of the nation’s top prospects throughout the offseason. For several weeks, the Oregon Ducks sat at the top of On3’s Industry Team Recruiting Rankings, with USC not far behind the Ducks at No. 2. However, on Monday, 2026 four-star defensive lineman Bott Mulitalo decommitted from Oregon, allowing USC to move into the top spot. 

Prior to Mulitalo’s decommitment, Oregon was at the top of the food chain in terms of 2026 recruits, with a total of 10 commits. The list of commits included pledges from five-star Kendre Harrison, the No. 1 tight end in the 2026 cycle, as well as commits from seven four-star prospects and two three-stars. 

After Mulitalo decided to decommit from Oregon, the Ducks lost a commit, which made USC the No. 1 program on On3’s Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. To make matters more interesting, USC is now one of the top destinations to secure Mulitalo’s commitment, according to On3’s Director of Recruiting, Chad Simmons. 

The USC Trojans currently hold 11 total commitments from top prospects around the nation. Their 2026 recruiting class is headlined by four-star linebacker Xavier Griffin and five-star cornerback RJ Sermons. 

Out of USC’s now 12 total commits, eight are from the state of California. California is seen by many as one of the “Big Three” in terms of college football recruiting, along with Texas and Florida. USC has made it a point to capitalize on recruiting in its own backyard while keeping top talent in-state. 

With the addition of Mulitalo, the Trojans now have a total of seven four-star recruits along with five three-stars in their 2026 commitment class. 

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USC Coach Lincoln Riley and his coaching staff have established a reputation for flipping top prospects. The Trojans have already managed to flip one of Oregon’s commits earlier this year; quarterback Jonas Williams. 

The flip came back in February, shortly after Williams visited the Trojans following an unofficial visit to USC’s campus. 

"Honestly, it was really fun," Williams told Tom Loy after his visit. "They laid out the red carpet for us. I spent a lot of time with Coach Riley. I spent a lot of time with Coach Huard and his family. I made a lot of connections. I went to the basketball game. I met Magic Johnson there. It was pretty fun. It was a lot to take in." 

The four-star quarterback ranks as the No. 13 quarterback in his class and the No. 5 overall player in the state of Illinois, making him a great addition to USC’s 2026 class. 

While the flip did not push the Trojans to No. 1 at the time, it certainly intensified the recruiting battle between these two powerhouse programs. With both Oregon and USC aggressively pursuing top talent, the fight for the No. 1 spot in the 2026 recruiting rankings is far from over.