USC is finally ready to stop talking about the 2026 season and start showing it.
The Trojans open Saturday at noon PDT against San Jose State at the Coliseum, and for Lincoln Riley, the first real test since last December is about far more than the scoreboard. He likes plenty of what he already knows about his team. What he wants now is to see how it all looks when the lights come on for real.
“There’s a lot of things I know already about our team that I’m excited for them to go put on display for everybody else to see, and then there’s definitely some things that I’m excited to learn because teams also certainly evolve as the seasons go on and as you play in these different games,” Riley said. “I’m excited to see how we compete together.
It’s kind of a weird sport in that you spend 90 percent of your year competing against one another, and then you get a few opportunities where you actually all get on one sideline and go against somebody else. I’m excited to see just how we compete together, how we complement one another.”
That curiosity starts with the basics. Riley wants to see how USC blocks, tackles, runs out of tackles, destroys blocks, disrupts the ball and protects it. He also wants to see whether the Trojans can hit the right emotional note in a season opener that brings plenty of noise with it.
“First games, you’re always excited to see how we block, how we tackle, how we run out of tackles, how we destruct blocks, play live, being able to disrupt the ball and taking care of the ball, and then making sure that we find that healthy balance,” he said. “That’s always a challenge in this game between the fire and the intensity and excitement that we have being back here at home, being in the Coliseum, all the excitement around the program.
But you still got to go in there and focus and play football. And the ultimate ones find that perfect spot where they’ve got just enough of both, but not too much of either one, so excited to see our team in that moment and see us compete.
I’m glad we’re playing Week 0. I’m glad we don’t have to wait another week.”
Inside the locker room, the mood is more certainty than nerves. Running back King Miller said he already knows what this group is about, pointing to the work he’s seen since spring. Even with injuries around the roster, including to Kilian O’Connor and now Jahkeem Stewart, his tone stayed steady.
“I already know what this team is about,” Miller said. “I’ve been with these guys this whole entire journey, especially since spring. We got a very great group, and I’m just ready for the world to see it.”
That doesn’t mean every veteran is immune to the usual opening-night tension. Tobias Raymond admitted the first-game butterflies are real, even if the excitement is just as strong.
“First-game jitters are a real thing right now,” Raymond said. “We’re all excited.”
One of the biggest reasons for that buzz is USC’s freshman receiver group, which Riley said will get a real chance to show what it can do. He also said Tanook Hines, returning from injury, does not need to be pushed into a heavy workload right away.
“We want to see them just go do what they’ve been doing on the practice field,” Riley said. “Don’t let the moment be anything more than just what it is.
They’ve done it consistently. Several of these guys have had almost a veteran-like presence on the team in terms of their consistency and their playmaking, and they just need to take that to the game field and I just see no reason why they won’t.
“It’s an exciting group. They’ll learn.
They’re going to have some bumps in the road and hiccups along the way. They’re young, but they’re going to make a lot of plays, and they’re going to compete hard and they’re going to get better fast.
Our fans will enjoy watching these guys play.”
Riley was talking about the receivers, but the same idea fits USC as a whole. The Trojans know enough to feel good.
They still have plenty to learn. And as Riley enters his pivotal fifth season, the balance inside the program leans heavily toward anticipation, not anxiety.
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USC Gets An Early Shot In A Recruiting Fight Fans Will Watch
USC is getting an early look at one of the most coveted defensive backs in the 2028 class, as four-star safety Jalen Flowers is set to be on campus for the season opener against San Jos State. Flowers, one of the top California talents in his class, already has a profile that has made him a priority for major programs across the country, and the Trojans will have one of their first chances to make a strong impression in person.
The visit schedule could only sharpen the competition. Flowers is also expected back for USCs game against Ohio State, giving the Trojans another shot at showing what their program has to offer while he continues to sort through nearly 40 scholarship offers. For USC, landing a player with that kind of national attention will take more than a game-day atmosphere, but getting him on campus this early is a meaningful first step. [Read more 🡒]
USC May Have Found A New Defensive Strength Under Gary Patterson
Lincoln Riley sounded noticeably more confident about USCs linebacker room during a recent media appearance, and it is not hard to see why the group has become one of the more intriguing parts of the defense. The Trojans have spent plenty of time trying to stabilize that side of the ball, and linebacker play has long been a key indicator of whether the unit can hold up against better Pac-12 offenses. Riley pointed to the groups physicality and athleticism, while Desman Stephens II, who led the team in tackles last season, has been working through a new defensive system under coordinator Gary Patterson.
For Stephens, the adjustment has come with some clear buy-in, and that matters for a position group that is expected to carry a heavier load this fall. Transfers and younger linebackers are also in line to factor in, giving USC a mix of experience and upside as Patterson continues shaping the scheme. The bigger question now is whether the Trojans can turn that confidence into a real edge on Saturdays, because if this group settles in quickly, it could quietly become one of the most useful pieces on the roster. [Read more 🡒]
USC Freshmen Are Making An Early Offensive Statement In Camp
Fall camp has quickly turned into a showcase for USCs newest offensive pieces, with several freshmen already forcing their way into the conversation for real roles this season. Deshonne Redeaux has drawn attention at running back, while Ethan Boobie Feaster and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt have both flashed as receivers in a room that always benefits from fresh speed and separation.
Trent Mosley has also emerged as more than just another young wideout, with the staff viewing him as a potential playmaker who can help on special teams right away. On the line and at tight end, Mark Bowman is trending toward the starting job and Keenyi Pepe looks like a useful backup tackle, giving the Trojans a first-year group that could end up shaping the offense sooner than expected. [Read more 🡒]