After a 2023–24 season that reminded everyone how much JuJu Watkins hates losing, USC’s front office made sure their star had more help. The Trojans built what Watkins herself called a “ superteam. ” They landed the nation’s top recruiting class, headlined by top-10 recruit Kennedy Smith, then went out and grabbed Kiki Iriafen, ESPN’s No. 1 transfer, along with Talia von Oelhoffen from the portal. That squad didn’t quite go all the way, but they definitely redefined what fear looks like in opponents’ eyes.

With that, entering this year, USC is all locked in on nabbing its first national title in 41 years. However, everything’s about to look a lot different. Watkins recently announced she’ll sit out the entire 2025–26 season to recover from the injury she suffered during the 2025 NCAA To

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