As USC gears up for its Dec. 30 Alamo Bowl showdown against TCU in San Antonio, head coach Lincoln Riley addressed the media Monday with a clearer picture of who will-and won’t-be suiting up for the Trojans. And let’s just say, it’s going to be a very different-looking roster than the one that wrapped up the regular season with a 29-10 win over UCLA.
Five starters have officially opted out of the bowl game: safety Kamari Ramsey, wide receivers Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane, tight end Lake McRee, and linebacker Eric Gentry. That’s a significant chunk of talent, experience, and production walking out the door ahead of the postseason.
Ramsey and Lane have declared for the NFL Draft and won’t return to USC. Lemon is expected to follow suit, though his official announcement is still pending. McRee and Gentry, both out of eligibility, are also skipping the bowl as they shift their focus to preparing for the next level.
That’s not all. Defensive end Anthony Lucas and safety Bishop Fitzgerald-two more players whose eligibility is up-are currently dealing with injuries but are hoping to play in the Alamo Bowl.
Fitzgerald missed the final two games of the regular season after suffering a lower body injury against Iowa. Lucas went down in the third quarter of the UCLA game and hasn’t returned since.
Riley didn’t disclose the nature of Lucas’ injury but did say both players are working to get back on the field for one final run with the Trojans.
The attrition continues up front. Three more Trojans-left tackle Elijah Paige, center Kilian O’Connor, and defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart-have undergone surgery and will not be available for the bowl game.
Paige and O’Connor battled through lower body injuries all season, with Paige limited to seven games and O’Connor to eight. Stewart, meanwhile, played through a stress fracture in his foot for nearly the entire season, an injury he likely sustained late in fall camp.
“Jahkeem had surgery the day after the UCLA game,” Riley said. “He played the entire season with a stress fracture in his foot.
Showed incredible toughness. Pretty remarkable that he was able to hold off the surgery the entire year and obviously play.
It hampered the ability to practice him and prepare him a lot, which makes the contribution he made to this team this year even more impressive.”
Despite the injury, Stewart managed to appear in USC’s last 11 games, a testament to his grit and commitment. That kind of toughness doesn’t always show up on the stat sheet, but it resonates inside the locker room.
There is some good news for USC’s future: O’Connor has officially re-signed with the program and will return next season. Paige and Stewart are also expected back in 2026, giving the Trojans a solid foundation to build on in the trenches.
But the roster turnover isn’t just about injuries and NFL declarations. Since the end of the regular season, 13 scholarship players have announced their intentions to enter the transfer portal when it opens on Jan.
- None of them were present at Monday’s practice.
Additionally, three other players-tight end Walker Lyons, right guard Alani Noa, and defensive lineman Kobe Pepe-were not seen during practice, though no official word has been given on their status.
So what does all this mean heading into the Alamo Bowl? For one, it’s a major test of USC’s depth and development.
With so many starters and key contributors unavailable, this game becomes a proving ground for younger players and those who’ve been waiting in the wings. It’s also a chance for the coaching staff to evaluate who’s ready to step into bigger roles in 2026 and beyond.
The Trojans will be missing a lot of familiar faces when they take the field in San Antonio. But bowl games in this era aren’t just about the here and now-they’re about setting the tone for what’s next. And for USC, that journey starts now.