The USC Trojans are heading back to the NCAA Tournament, but their path toward Omaha will begin far from home.After just narrowly missing out on hosting a regional of their own, USC now turns its attention to College Station, Texas, where the Trojans will enter postseason play as the No. 2 seed in a loaded regional hosted by No. 12 national seed Texas A&M.USC’s Kevin Takeuchi, left, tags Oregon infielder Ryan Cooney as he slides to second as the Oregon Ducks host the USC Trojans on May 14, 2026, in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesUSC finished the regular season and Big Ten Tournament with a 43-15 overall record, continuing one of the program’s strongest seasons in decades. The Trojans appeared to be building a hosting résumé of their own after a historic 32-1 home record at Dedeaux Field. But those hopes took a hit in heartbreaking fashion when USC fell to crosstown rival UCLA 7-5 on a walk-off in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals.Instead of welcoming postseason baseball to Los Angeles, Andy Stankiewicz’s group now heads into SEC country with another challenge in front of it.Joining USC in College Station are host Texas A&M, No. 3 seed Texas State and No. 4 seed Lamar. College Station Regional ScheduleFlorida head coach Kevin O'Sullivan talks with Texas A&M head coach Michael Earley before an NCAA baseball game at Condron Family Ballpark at Alfred A. McKethan Field in Gainesville, FL on Friday, April 24, 2026. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun] | Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesRegional play begins Friday with two opening-round matchups.Texas A&M opens regional play against Lamar before USC takes on Texas State later in the evening. The regional follows the standard double-elimination format, meaning teams must lose twice before elimination.The winners of Friday’s games will meet Saturday night, while the losing teams will face off earlier Saturday in an elimination matchup.Friday, May 29Game 1 — Texas A&M vs. Lamar | 2 p.m. PT | SEC NetworkGame 2 — Texas State vs. USC | 7 p.m. PT | ESPN+Saturday, May 30Game 3 — Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 | TBDGame 4 — Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 (Elimination) | TBDSunday, May 31Game 5 — Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3 (Elimination) | TBDGame 6 — Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5 (Regional Final) | TBDMonday, June 1Game 7 — If necessary | TBDHow to WatchUSC pitcher Mason Edwards throws a pitch as the Oregon Ducks host the USC Trojans on May 14, 2026, in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesOpening-round action will air across the SEC Network and ESPN+, with USC’s Friday matchup against Texas State streaming on ESPN+.Bracket BreakdownWhile Texas A&M owns the host designation, USC enters College Station carrying plenty of momentum and perhaps even more motivation.The Trojans are making back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time since 2001-02 and arrive after one of the best regular seasons in program history. Still, there is unfinished business surrounding this roster.USC outfielder Jack Basseer hits a single as the Oregon Ducks host the USC Trojans on May 14, 2026, in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesLast season, USC pushed all the way to the regional final before being eliminated by host Oregon State after opening wins over St. Mary’s and TCU. Many of the Trojans who experienced that disappointment returned with the goal of getting beyond regional weekend and making a deeper postseason run.Standing in the way is a Texas A&M team that presents the biggest challenge in the bracket.The Aggies enter at 39-14 and earned the No. 12 national seed despite an early SEC Tournament exit. Olsen Field has already proven capable of creating a difficult postseason environment. The Trojans have not faced Texas A&M since the 2024 Kubota College Baseball Series, where the Aggies handed USC a 9-3 loss. If both teams advance through the winner’s bracket, another meeting could carry enormous postseason stakes.Texas A&M Aggies' Clayton Freshcorn (25) pitches as Auburn Tigers take on Texas A&M Aggies during the SEC baseball tournament at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Ala. on Friday, May 22, 2026. Auburn Tigers defeated Texas A&M Aggies 7-0. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesThe Bobcats, on the other hand, enter with a 36-24 record and already know what success against Texas A&M looks like. Texas State split two regular-season games against the Aggies, dropping one matchup in College Station before returning home and earning a win in San Marcos. That familiarity makes Friday’s USC opener especially important.Then there is Lamar. The Cardinals arrive with a 34-25 record and a conference championship. Lamar already saw Texas A&M earlier this season and suffered a 25-5 run-rule defeat, but postseason baseball rarely follows regular-season scripts, and experienced mid-major teams often become difficult outs in double-elimination play.What makes this regional particularly fascinating is its geography. Texas A&M, Texas State and Lamar all come from the same state and are familiar with the conditions. USC is the outsider entering a regional deeply rooted in Texas baseball culture.USC pitcher Andrew Johnson throws a pitch as the Oregon Ducks host the USC Trojans on May 14, 2026, in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesFor the Trojans, that may not be a disadvantage so much as another opportunity.Now, the Trojans head into hostile territory with a chance to prove their season still has much more left to accomplish.Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, and X for the latest news. Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow