USC got the win it needed on Saturday, but the questions hanging over Lincoln Riley are still very much alive.
No. 18 USC held off Washington 25-21 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, surviving a tense finish that could have blown the whole day wide open.
Washington quarterback Demond Williams drove the Huskies deep and kept them on the edge of the end zone, converting two fourth downs along the way, including a 43-yard pass to Chris Lawson on fourth-and-2. But when it came down to one last shot, Williams’ fourth-and-10 throw to Dezmen Roebuck was broken up by USC defensive back Prophet Brown, and the Trojans escaped.
That’s the bottom line for Riley’s team: the Trojans didn’t lose. But a narrow win over an under-performing Washington squad that led 21-10 in the second half is not the kind of result that wipes away the noise around USC’s coach.
And there has been plenty of noise.
The week leading into this game was already rough for USC after a 41-27 loss to No. 15 Oregon, a defeat that made it clear who the dominant West Coast program is right now. Desmen Stephens’ ejection and the reaction to a brutal hit on Oregon quarterback Dante Moore drew heavy criticism, and the conversation around Riley’s $60 million buyout and the state of USC’s culture quickly returned to center stage.
Saturday didn’t change that. USC looked clunky early, then found just enough to get by.
Jakheem Stewart’s fumble return for a touchdown gave the Trojans a 22-21 lead, and the defense came through with the stop it needed when the game was on the line. USC gave up 319 total yards, a number that at least pointed to some improvement under new defensive coordinator Gary Patterson.
Jayden Maiava did enough after halftime to keep the offense moving. He finished 21 of 34 for 245 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. Even so, the Trojans are still dealing with the absence of freshman receiver Trent Mosley, who was injured in Week 3 against Rutgers.
The win moved USC to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in Big Ten play, but the broader picture hasn’t gotten any prettier for Riley. He is now 21-11 at USC and 13-8 in Big Ten games since the Trojans joined the conference in 2024. The season opened with playoff expectations, but some of the early talk around the program has centered instead on low attendance at home games.
Now the schedule gets even tougher.
USC heads to Penn State next week for the “Whiteout,” a trip that raises fresh questions after the Trojans’ 42-35 win over Rutgers on Sept. 19.
After that comes a bye week, then another road game, this time against a rejuvenated Wisconsin team under Luke Fickell. The back half of the schedule includes a home game with No.
5 Ohio State on Oct. 31, a trip to No. 6 Indiana on Nov.
14, Maryland on Nov. 21, and the season finale at No. 23 UCLA on Nov.
Maryland looks like the only matchup that could be called a clear favorite on the rest of the slate. Beyond that, the path is steep enough to make the playoff conversation feel shaky.
So yes, USC won. But if the idea was to quiet the talk around Riley, Saturday was not nearly enough.
In Other News...
USC Fans Have Plenty To Debate After That Gritty Washington Win
The heat was no joke, and neither was USCs defense in a 25-21 win over Washington that gave the Trojans plenty to feel good about and even more to debate. Against the kind of grind-it-out test that can expose a team in September, USCs pass rush came through with four sacks, multiple tackles for loss and a sack-fumble recovery that turned into a touchdown, the sort of sequence that can swing a close game and change the feel of a night.
For a team ranked No. 18, the result mattered just as much as the details, and there were enough of both to keep fans talking well after the final whistle. The game offered a useful look at individual performances and how USCs defensive plan held up in tough conditions, but it also left room for questions about which players are emerging, which adjustments are working and how sustainable this kind of gritty win might be as the schedule moves on. [Read more 🡒]
Jayden Maiava's Rough Start Put USC's Offense Under A Harsh Spotlight
Jayden Maiavas afternoon against Washington put USCs offense under a harsh spotlight, as the Trojans spent much of the first half searching for any kind of rhythm. The quarterbacks decision-making and mechanics were both under scrutiny, and a series of poor throws, long holds in the pocket and drive-killing penalties left the offense looking flat when it needed to be sharp.
Maiava finished the half 12 of 19 for 143 yards, but the numbers only told part of the story as USC went to the locker room trailing 14-10. The Trojans still had time to settle in, but the opening half raised real questions about whether the offense could clean itself up quickly enough to change the tone of the game. [Read more 🡒]
USC Defense Escaped Washington After One Brutal Breakdown
USCs defense came out of Washington with a win, but not without a few uneasy moments that will linger in the film room. In a 25-21 victory over the Huskies, the Trojans had the kind of mixed outing that can leave a staff thankful for the result and still frustrated by the details, from a costly missed-tackle sequence that opened the door for a long touchdown to the kind of timely response that kept the game from slipping away.
Jahkeem Stewarts fumble return for a score gave USC a huge lift, and Kameryn Crawford made key defensive plays late to help secure the finish. Even so, Washington had chances behind Demond Williams Jr. and Chris Lawson, and the combination of injuries and breakdowns made this one feel closer than the Trojans would have preferred, with one brutal lapse standing out in a game they still managed to escape. [Read more 🡒]