The Big Ten has officially announced that the 2026 Football Media Days will be held in Chicago from July 28-30. On the opening day, USC will take the podium alongside Illinois, Iowa, Penn State, Rutgers, and Wisconsin. Head coach Lincoln Riley is expected to represent USC, potentially joined by quarterback Jayden Maiava. This event marks the third consecutive year that the Big Ten has chosen a different city for Media Days, following Indianapolis in 2024 and Las Vegas in 2025. USC is set to kick off its 2026 football season on August 29 against San Jose State, indicating that the team will need to begin its fall camp shortly after Media Days to prepare adequately.