USC Trojans senior linebacker Eric Gentry knows that early-season wins don’t tell the full story.
The Trojans handled their non-conference matchups, but the real challenge starts with a tough Big Ten schedule, featuring top-five teams and road environments that have troubled USC in recent years.
“It’s just two games, so we ain’t really—we’re not playing in the Big Ten yet. We’ll see how it goes this week,” Gentry told reporters after practice.
The Trojans’ Big Ten opener comes Saturday at Purdue, kicking off a five-week stretch that will likely define their season:
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Week 3: at Purdue Boilermakers
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Week 4: vs. Michigan State Spartans
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Week 5: at Illinois Fighting Illini
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Week 6: Bye
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Week 7: at Notre Dame Fighting Irish
This stretch includes two challenging road games, a part of the schedule where USC struggled last season. In their first Big Ten campaign in 2024, the Trojans went 2–4 on true road games, losing narrowly at Michigan, Minnesota, Maryland, and Washington, with their only road win at UCLA.
Gentry is aware of the challenges that history brings.
“People say we can’t win on the road, so it’ll be fun to prove them wrong,” he said. “All those fans cheering against you—it brings out another level. If things get crazy, I just remind the younger guys to look at me. I’ll be smiling, I’ll be having fun.
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