Lincoln Riley isn’t backing off the expectations around USC. If anything, he’s leaning into them.
After a rough opening to the Trojans’ Big Ten era, USC steadied itself with a 9-4 finish last season, a sharp bounce from the 7-6 mark in 2024. That turnaround, paired with the return of star quarterback Jayden Maiava, has set the stage for a more confident run in 2026 - and Riley made it clear Tuesday at Big Ten Media Days that he believes this group is built differently.
“Every year, I expect to win. I expect us to win.
I expect us to compete for and win championships. That doesn't change,” Riley said.
“I certainly will give you what has changed: We're more equipped than at any point in the previous few years. That's not a hope or wish; those are facts.”
That confidence starts with the roster. USC brings back nearly its entire offensive line, plus Maiava, while the defense now has Gary Patterson in charge and nine of 16 players who logged at least 200 snaps last season. Riley pointed to the mix of returning starters, freshmen and transfers as a major reason for the optimism.
“I do feel differently this year in terms of the quality of players - returning starters, the freshman, some of the transfers that we've added,” Riley admitted. “There's just a ton of competition. We have a lot of guys on both sides of the line of scrimmage that we feel like we can win with and dominate with.”
USC may also get a break from the schedule. This year’s slate does not include the Trojans’ annual nonconference meeting with Notre Dame, after the schools failed to reach a scheduling agreement for the upcoming season.
The rivalry has been played every year since 1946 except 2020, but the two sides couldn’t align on timing. Notre Dame wanted the game later in the season, while USC preferred moving it to September, when most teams play nonconference opponents.
“We want to play the game,” Riley said. “I want to play the game.
We would be playing the game had some things come true that were said. Hopefully we get to that point.”
In Other News...
Waymond Jordan Just Gave USC Fans A Reason To Watch Honolulu Closely
Honolulu was already a familiar stop for Jayden Maiava, and the USC quarterback was back there again for a meet-and-greet and fundraiser tied to Aloha 1st Athletics and its Sports Week Hawaii initiative. He was joined by running back Waymond Jordan, giving Trojans fans another reminder that the programs Hawaii ties keep showing up in more than just recruiting conversations. Maiava has been active in the community there before, including a football clinic and school visits, while the event itself centered on a broader mission around sports, connection and support for local families.
Jordans presence carried its own significance for USC, especially with summer work and fall camp approaching. The running back is coming off an ankle injury from the 2025 season, and his return to public view in Honolulu offered a positive checkpoint after a long rehab stretch. For a team that will be watching its backfield closely, any update involving Jordan tends to draw interest, and this trip at least suggested he is moving in the right direction as the offseason rolls on. [Read more 🡒]
Lincoln Riley Just Made USC Fans Even More Concerned About Notre Dame
For USC fans who have grown used to seeing Notre Dame on the schedule every fall, the news that the rivalry will not be played in 2026 lands with real sting. The annual meeting has been a fixture again since 2020, and before that kind of pause you have to go all the way back to World War II, so even a one-year break feels like a jolt for one of college footballs most familiar series.
The split is tied to a scheduling disagreement, with USC preferring an early-season game and Notre Dame pushing for a later date, and Lincoln Riley still said he wants the rivalry to continue. But his comments also left the door open to the idea that USC would be lining up for the game if a certain unresolved condition had been met, which is exactly the sort of detail that keeps this from feeling like a simple calendar issue. [Read more 🡒]
Three USC Returners Are Suddenly Carrying Lincoln Rileys Biggest Burden
USCs preseason spotlight has a way of settling on the obvious names, but the pressure inside Lincoln Rileys program is spreading beyond the headline stars. With a reloaded receiving corps around Maiava and a defense still sorting out new pieces, the Trojans are leaning on a handful of returners to stabilize both sides of the ball as expectations rise again in Los Angeles.
Hines is part of that burden on offense, where USC needs someone to emerge as a dependable target while the rest of the receiver room settles in. On the other side, Christian Pierce is being asked to help hold together a secondary that lost a key piece, and Jahkeem Stewart is among the defenders expected to make an immediate impact. The early schedule should offer a quick read on how ready those returners are, and whether this group can carry more of Rileys burden than it has before. [Read more 🡒]