2026-27 Outlook
LangIndex projects USC at #37 nationally for the 2026-27 college basketball season with a projected efficiency margin of +10.2 points per 100 possessions. That's a major climb from #83 a season ago, one of the bigger projected rises in the country. The model slots this team in the NCAA-tournament conversation.
Only 6% of last season's minutes return, so this roster will look very different. Expect some early-season volatility while new pieces settle in. The incoming class is headlined by 5-star Adonis Ratliff, part of a 3-commit group.
Last Season (2025-26)
USC finished 2025-26 at 17-14, ranked #83 in the final LangIndex ratings with adjusted offense of 111.4 and adjusted defense of 102.7 points per 100 possessions.
How LangIndex Rates USC
USC's power rating of +10.2 is an adjusted efficiency margin: the points per 100 possessions the model expects them to outscore an average Division I team by, once you strip out schedule strength. It combines adjusted offensive efficiency, adjusted defensive efficiency, and pace into one number, so a rating of +10.2 means USC projects to beat a neutral-court average team by about 7 points on a typical night. The full live version updates every morning during the season.
USC Rating History
Season-by-season LangIndex power rating and national rank. USC's rating has slipped compared to a few seasons ago. Their best finish in this window was #22 in 2020-21.
| Season | Power Rating | Nat. Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | +6.7 | #76 |
| 2024-25 | +2.1 | #132 |
| 2023-24 | +0.5 | #160 |
| 2022-23 | +7.4 | #79 |
| 2021-22 | +10.5 | #43 |
| 2020-21 | +15.9 | #22 |