Lincoln Riley’s USC tenure has reached a point where every week feels like it can swing the conversation one way or the other.
That comes with the territory at a blue blood program. USC has the kind of pull most schools can only dream about: major resources, elite Southern California talent, and a tradition that still carries national weight. On the West Coast, the Trojans stand alone in that category, and being based in the second-most populated city in the country only adds to the attention.
Riley inherited all of that expectation, and in four seasons he has delivered the full range of it. There was the 11-1 run in 2022, when Caleb Williams became the school’s eighth Heisman Trophy winner. There was also the 6-6 finish in 2024, along with a defense that continues to invite questions and a resume that still lacks a true signature win.
Recruiting, though, has been a major bright spot. USC landed the No. 1 class in 2026 and reestablished itself as the top recruiting force in Southern California.
This season, the pressure hit a new level after an early double-digit loss to Oregon. For weeks, USC became the biggest topic in college football, and Riley’s future at the school was openly questioned. The noise got loud enough that it wasn’t just about whether he would make it through the season - it was about whether he’d make it through the year at all.
The Trojans were staring at a dangerous moment on Oct. 3, when Washington grabbed a 21-10 lead in the third quarter inside the Coliseum and the “fire Lincoln Riley” chants grew louder. Then Jayden Maiava hit Zacharyus Williams for 23 yards on 3rd-and-11, and the game changed. USC scored 14 unanswered points from there and beat the Huskies for the first time in a decade.
A week later, the response got even louder. USC went to Penn State and won 31-23 in front of a record crowd of 114,419.
For a program that has had trouble on the road since entering the Big Ten in 2024, that result mattered. The Trojans didn’t just survive the trip - they showed they can play and win away from home.
That response says something about the group Riley has now, especially with a young roster that is producing fast. Receivers Trent Mosley and Kayden Dixon, tight end Mark Bowman and defensive end Luke Wafle are all freshmen, but at this point they are beginning to look less like young players and more like difference-makers.
Maiava, meanwhile, is in the best stretch of his career. The defense has also taken steps forward over the past two games, and after the team’s first of two bye weeks, USC appears to be settling in at the right time.
The road ahead is brutal. Three of the Trojans’ final games come against teams ranked in the AP top 10: Ohio State, Indiana and UCLA.
Before any of that, though, USC has to handle another difficult road test. The Trojans travel to Madison to face Wisconsin on Saturday, Oct. 24, with kickoff at Camp Randall set for 4:30 p.m.
PT on NBC. Even with one loss already on the ledger, the approach has to stay the same: one week at a time, one game at a time.
In Other News...
UCLAs 7-0 Start Now Hinges On One Emerging Question
UCLA kept its perfect start intact with a 28-10 home win over Michigan State, but the Bruins did not exactly cruise through it. Ty Dieffenbach helped drive the offense with a 63-yard touchdown pass, Anthony Woods bounced back from an early fumble to run for 112 yards and a score, and the defense delivered a timely swing play when Donovyn Pellot picked off a Michigan State drive deep in UCLA territory.
The bigger concern, though, is what happens next if Dieffenbach is less than fully settled. He was able to come back after briefly going down in pain late in the first half, and UCLA certainly benefited from having him available again after the break. With the Bruins sitting at 7-0, the question now is how much that scare lingers for a team that has looked increasingly dependent on its quarterback staying upright and steady. [Read more 🡒]
UCLAs Playoff Push Now Rests On Three Bruins Against Michigan State
UCLA heads into its matchup with Michigan State trying to keep its playoff momentum rolling, and a lot of the focus is on how the offense continues to settle around new starting quarterback Ty Dieffenbach. The Bruins have had enough early success to make this feel like more than just another home game, especially with Michigan State coming in as a struggling opponent that offers UCLA a chance to stay on track in front of its own crowd.
A big part of that next step will come from the supporting cast around Dieffenbach, especially Jalen Saint Paul and Wayne Knight. Saint Paul gave the quarterback a dependable outlet in the last game, while Knight is looking to put a rough outing behind him and remind UCLA what he can add to the attack. With the Bruins trying to keep their College Football Playoff push alive, this feels like one of those games where the offense has to show it can keep building instead of just surviving. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Faces A Dangerous SEC Spot With CFP Pressure Rising
The Week 8 college football slate is already carrying playoff weight, and for UCLA, the path forward is still much more immediate than any bracket talk. The Bruins have to get past Michigan State at home Saturday afternoon first, with their own place in the conference race tied to taking care of business before any bigger picture speculation can even matter.
Still, the broader playoff conversation has a way of brushing up against teams like UCLA when the calendar starts tightening. There is already a sense that a potential Big Blue vs. Power Blue CFP game in the Rose Bowl could be lurking down the line, but the Bruins know that kind of stage only becomes real if they keep stacking wins and handle the next test in front of them. [Read more 🡒]