When USC went up 24-14 with under 10 minutes to play in the Alamo Bowl, it looked like the Trojans were finally in control. A field goal had stretched their lead, and with the clock working in their favor, the finish line was in sight. But in a fourth quarter that will sting for a long time in Los Angeles, TCU flipped the script.
The Horned Frogs answered USC’s field goal with a composed, efficient touchdown drive, then forced a quick three-and-out to get the ball right back. From there, they bled the clock and kicked a game-tying field goal to send it into overtime-a gut punch for a USC team that had seemed poised to close the door.
Do y’all ever practice tackling ever or is it always about offense?
— LenDale White (@thereal_lendale) December 31, 2025
In overtime, USC had a golden opportunity to reclaim momentum. First-and-goal from the 2-yard line.
Lol please leave the whole defense in San Antonio 🤦🏾♂️
— Rey Maualuga (@maualuga58) December 31, 2025
But instead of punching it in, the Trojans stalled and had to settle for a field goal. That left the door open, and TCU didn’t just walk through it-they charged.
On a 3rd-and-20, after a sack had seemingly put the Horned Frogs in a desperate spot, running back Jeremy Payne took a short checkdown and turned it into a 35-yard game-winning touchdown. Missed tackles.
Get more former players in the building coaching and showing these guys what it really means to be a Trojan!!!! Let practices be open again and allow every single media camera on the sideline and create that Pete Carol environment of competition! Pressure makes diamonds !!!…
— Su’a Kristopher Cravens (@SuaKCravens) December 31, 2025
Missed opportunity. Game over.
Watching it all unfold was LenDale White, a name that still carries weight in USC circles. The former star running back, who helped deliver back-to-back national titles during the Trojans’ glory years, didn’t hold back. On social media, White unleashed a string of blunt, unfiltered reactions, calling the current state of the program “sorry as f---” and openly questioning whether USC deserves to be in the College Football Playoff conversation going forward.
cry on ✌️ https://t.co/wCqclbmF8M
— TCU Football (@TCUFootball) December 31, 2025
And he wasn’t alone. Su’a Cravens, a two-time first-team All-Pac-12 safety, and Rey Maualuga, a former Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, echoed the frustration. These aren’t just bitter alumni lobbing criticism from the sidelines-these are guys who’ve been in the trenches, who know what it means to wear the cardinal and gold, and who clearly feel the current team isn’t living up to that standard.
Cravens, in particular, took his critique a step further. He called for more former Trojans to be involved in the coaching staff-guys who understand the culture, the grind, and what it takes to win at USC. He also pushed for more physicality in practice, including full pads and open sessions, suggesting that the team’s edge-its toughness-just isn’t where it needs to be.
Not every former Trojan was quite as fired up. Matt Leinart, the Heisman-winning quarterback who led USC to its last national title, seemed more measured in his response, noting the number of opt-outs the team had entering the bowl. But TCU’s official football account wasn’t about to let that slide, throwing a little shade of their own on social media in response.
After the game, Lincoln Riley tried to strike an optimistic tone. “A window has opened up,” he said, insisting that USC still has a path to championship contention. But convincing his former players-and a fan base that’s seen too many late-game collapses and defensive breakdowns over the past two seasons-won’t be easy.
This wasn’t just a bowl loss. It was another chapter in a growing book of missed opportunities under Riley. And if USC wants to be taken seriously in the new 12-team Playoff era, it’s going to have to prove it can finish games, tackle in space, and-maybe most importantly-live up to the legacy that former Trojans like White, Cravens, Maualuga, and Leinart helped build.