Overview
- The official USC Athletics X account posted a movie-style graphic reading “Our Odyssey begins August 29” on Friday, July 17, tying the Trojans’ 2026 opener to Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey.
- Commenters noted the core irony that Homer’s Odyssey follows Odysseus and the Greeks returning home after conquering Troy, making the tie-in historically inappropriate for a team named the Trojans.
- The post was quickly roasted on social platforms and picked up by national outlets, generating viral ridicule and no widely reported apology or correction as of the latest coverage.
- Observers added a further ironic layer by pointing out USC opens the season on August 29 against San Jose State, the Spartans, and some critics used the gaffe to needle USC’s recent on-field struggles and playoff absence.
- The episode highlights how quick promotional posts can produce outsized reputational fallout for athletic programs and underscores the longstanding use of classical imagery in USC branding that can backfire if used without cultural context.