USC Football Repeats Greek Myth Blunder in 2026 Odyssey Hype

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 19

USC football drew fresh criticism after promoting its Aug. 29 season opener with an "Odyssey"-themed poster, even though Homer’s epic begins after the Greeks destroy Troy.
That mismatch revived scrutiny of the school’s branding: the Trojans cast themselves as heroes in a story where their city has already been sacked and its warriors killed.
The backlash is sharper because USC made a similar mistake before the 2024 season, when a hype video showed players emerging from a Trojan Horse—actually the Greeks’ weapon against Troy.
August 29 adds another layer of irony: USC opens the 2026 season against San Jose State, whose Spartans also evoke ancient Greece.