To say that expectations were high at USC heading into the 2026 college football season would be an understatement.
The Trojans, especially head coach Lincoln Riley, were adamant that this year would be different than the recent disappointments. SC finished 9-3 in 2025, brought in the number one recruiting class in the country, added some talent at key positions in the transfer portal, and returned starting quarterback Jayden Maiava after a strong 2025. They hired former TCU head coach Gary Patterson to run the defense. In theory, the elements had finally come together to return the program to prominence. And they said as much.
“The time is now,” the marketing campaign went. Riley gave interviews in the spring, including one to On3, where he said the administration got “serious” about competing at the highest levels of college football.
“USC had to get really serious about being great in the sport again,” he explained. ” I give the school administration â everybody â credit. They have.
“Taking this over, you knew you had to go fight like hell just to try to get this window opened,” Riley said. “And were at a point right now where theres a lot to be excited about and a lot in front of us. Its been a lot of work for a lot of people, a lot of commitment from a lot of people to get there, and it should be a lot of fun these next few years.”
“We came here to ,” he continued. ” A lot of us have been fortunate enough to be a part of a lot of championships. We certainly didnt come here for anything less. Weve got to go buckle down and improve and really come together, but theres the makings of a championship-level football team in that building right now.”
Fast-forward to late-October, and they’re anything but. After an inexcusable loss to Wisconsin this past weekend, USC is now 6-2 and unranked in the AP Poll. While they had a nice win over Penn State in a hostile “White Out” environment in Happy Valley, the Trojans lost at home to a very mediocre Oregon Ducks team playing a backup quarterback.
The seven points they scored against the Badgers on the road, after a bye week no less, represented the lowest point total of any Lincoln Riley-coached team. With a senior quarterback in his third season in the program and a very highly-paid offensive line. Naturally, the defense wasn’t good enough to keep the game close. It never is.
The performance, the record, the mediocrity, the consistent underachievement … all of it has led to rampant, and growingly serious, speculation that Riley’s job is contingent on a strong finish to the season. Perfect timing to host Ohio State and go on the road to face Indiana.
Part of the speculation is
