USC Baseball Continues Rise in Rankings After Record Start

Trojans' historic 19-game win streak ends, but team remains a top-15 program

Mar. 17, 2026 at 12:20pm

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Despite finally suffering their first loss of the season over the weekend, the USC baseball team is continuing to rise in the national polls amidst their historic start to the 2026 campaign. The Trojans are now ranked as high as No. 10 in the country, with their starting pitching duo of Mason Edwards and Grant Govel leading the way.

Why it matters

USC's strong start has put them on the national radar as a top contender in college baseball this season. Their rise in the rankings comes as crosstown rival UCLA remains the No. 1 team in the country, setting up a potentially massive showdown between the two Los Angeles schools in the coming weeks.

The details

The Trojans finally suffered their first loss of the season over the weekend, but only after 19 consecutive victories to open the year. Despite the setback, USC is now a consensus top-13 team in the country, ranked as high as No. 10 by Perfect Game. Leading the way for the Trojans has been their starting pitching, with Mason Edwards and Grant Govel forming one of the top duos in the nation over the first month of the season.

  • The Trojans suffered their first loss of the season over the weekend.
  • On Monday, USC was ranked No. 10 by Perfect Game, No. 11 by USA Today, and No. 13 by both D1Baseball and Baseball America.

The players

Mason Edwards

One of the top starting pitchers for USC this season.

Grant Govel

The other half of USC's dominant starting pitching duo, who was named the Big Ten pitcher of the week on Monday.

UCLA

USC's crosstown rival, who remains the No. 1 team in the country.

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What’s next

The Trojans will host San Diego State on Tuesday night and Cal State Bakersfield Wednesday night before resuming Big Ten play with a three-game series against Washington at Dedeaux Field next weekend.

The takeaway

USC's strong start to the 2026 season has put them firmly in the national spotlight, with their starting pitching leading the way. As the Trojans prepare for a showdown with crosstown rival UCLA, their continued rise in the rankings demonstrates their status as a top contender in college baseball this year.