By state
California teams
A traditional West Coast power now playing most of its season three time zones from home.
Programs
Football in California
Big Ten · Los Angeles, California · 9-4 in 2025
ACC · Berkeley, California · 7-6 in 2025
ACC · Stanford, California · 4-8 in 2025
Big Ten · Los Angeles, California · 3-9 in 2025
MAC · Sacramento, California · 7-5 in 2025
Mountain West · San Jose, California · 3-9 in 2025
Pac-12 · Fresno, California · 9-4 in 2025
Pac-12 · San Diego, California · 9-4 in 2025
California
The Coliseum
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum has been USC's home since 1923 and is one of the few college venues to have hosted Olympic Games — twice, in 1932 and 1984, with a third turn scheduled. Few stadiums in the sport carry that kind of history outside football itself.
Its traditions are distinctive: Traveler, the white horse that circles the field after scores, has been a fixture since 1961.
California
West Coast football in a Midwest conference
USC's move to the Big Ten reshaped its season. Conference games now mean regular travel to the Midwest and East, with the attendant time-zone and scheduling consequences — a Saturday noon kickoff in Columbus starts at nine in the morning in Los Angeles.
The recruiting position has not changed. California produces talent on the scale of Texas and Florida, and Los Angeles is among the most contested recruiting markets in the country. USC has recently assembled classes ranked at or near the top nationally.
Leagues
Conferences represented
Big Ten · Los Angeles
ACC · Berkeley
ACC · Stanford
Big Ten · Los Angeles
MAC · Sacramento
Mountain West · San Jose
Pac-12 · Fresno
Pac-12 · San Diego
FAQ
California football questions
Which college football teams are in California?
This site covers the USC Trojans, based in Los Angeles and competing in the Big Ten. Coverage is being expanded program by program.
Why does USC play in the Big Ten?
USC left the Pac-12 for the Big Ten in a realignment driven by media rights, which is what has reshaped conference membership across the sport over the past several years.
Where does USC play its home games?
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, its home since 1923 and a venue that has hosted the Olympic Games more than once.
How does California rank for college football recruiting?
It is one of the three states, with Texas and Florida, that produce the most college football talent. The Los Angeles area in particular is recruited nationally.