The most notable quote from Lincoln Riley’s USC introductory press conference back in November of 2021 was prompted by a question from a local reporter. The reporter asked Riley how much time he thought he needed to get the Trojans back to national prominence. 

“...How can we not do it? You know?” Riley said. “How’s it not gonna work?” 

In retrospect, the answer to that otherwise straightforward question is that it’s complicated. 

Riley didn’t know it then, but the Trojans’ pathway to prominence would be paved with potholes. 

In four years, USC has won 35 games, but has yet to make the College Football Playoff. The Big Ten has morphed into the sport’s premier conference, with the likes of Indiana, Michigan, and Oregon surging to newfound heights. Throughout it all, outside of Riley, change has been the only constant in LA. The Trojans have cycled through quarterbacks and defensive coordinators and have reconfigured the front-office staff, all in the hopes of getting a once-proud program back to the national stage. 

As we enter the 2026 season, the pressure is on for Lincoln Riley's project to finally come together. 

Quarterback Jayden Maiava is back after a strong 2025 season. Former TCU stalwart Gary Patterson is back in the saddle, ready to lead a defensive renaissance. And the Trojans are red-hot on the recruiting trail, having hauled in the sport’s top high school recruiting class the year prior. 

One-year referendums are often a silly exercise, but Riley is reaching a breaking point. He’s had time to build. He has his guys. And the time is now for the Trojans to take a giant step forward and start competing on the national stage again.

The biggest problem of the Lincoln Riley era is that USC rarely wins football games away from the LA Memorial Coliseum. 

Last season, all three of the Trojans’ regular-season losses came on the road. In 2024, five of USC’s six losses came outside of LA. In 2023, you guessed it, the Trojans lost two notable games against Notre Dame and Oregon on the road. Before last season’s road win against Purdue, the Trojans hadn’t won a game outside of the Pacific Time zone since 2023.

There’s no denying it: USC just can't seem to defeat the road demons. The road-game shenanigans have lifted the Trojans into meme-ified air. Opposing teams are aware of the struggles. Trojan fans and players know it, too. 

If Riley is to flip the script and turn the Trojans into national contenders, the road-game performances must improve. The good news: USC will have plenty of chances to change the narrative in 2026. 

The Trojans have notable road matchups at Beaver Stadium against Penn State in early October, a potentially tricky road test versus Wisconsin, and a doozy of a matchup against the defending national champs in Bloomington in mid-November. Even if USC only manages to go two for three in that stretch, it’ll go a long way in helping the Trojans reach the ultimate goal of making the College Football Playoff in 2026. 

The biggest bright spot from the Trojans’ offseason was Jayden Maiava’s decision to return for his senior season. Last season, Maiava fluctuated between being a good quarterback and being a very good quarterback by national standards. He finished with over 3,700 passing yards and 24 touchdowns, regularly showing off his supreme arm talent. 

The thing about Maiava is that it’s never been about a lack of arm talent or athleticism. He possesses both in bunches; against below-average teams, he looks like a world-beater. His warts, much like USC’s as a whole, become much more pronounced in big games. 

Last season, he had a pair of crucial interceptions on the road against seventh-ranked Oregon. He turned the ball over twice in a 10-point loss to Notre Dame and in the bowl game against TCU. For better or worse, USC tends to go as far as he goes. When he plays well, the Trojans look like a dynamic offense that can score points in bunches. In games where he struggles, the offense flounders and the results follow suit. 

One reason to think he’ll build on last year’s largely strong season is the amount of returning production on that side of the ball. The Trojans return plenty along the offensive line and have assembled some nice depth and insurance via the high school ranks. Running back King Miller is also back for his sophomore campaign after rushing for 972 yards as a true freshman, and Waymond Jordan seems poised to play a role on the ground after an injury-shortened 2025 season. 

The questions with this unit lie on the outside. USC will need to find ways to replace the star receiver duo of Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane. Sophomore Tanook Hines and NC State transfer Terrell Anderson are expected to make big impacts as early starters. There’s also some nice buzz surrounding Trent Mosley and Boobie Feaster as fall camp continues to play out. 

If the receiver room can mesh quickly, USC should have one of the better offenses in the Big Ten again in 2026.

Back to that press conference in November 2021. When Riley was asked about creating buy-in and the task at hand, he offered a direct response. 

“...It’s got to come together quickly. That’s the challenge. That’s the beauty of it. That’s why it’s so much fun when it does come together.” 

Up until this point, the fun part has eluded Riley and the Trojans.

Instead, USC has fallen behind its Big Ten counterparts, languished in good-but-not-great territory, and lacked the oomph necessary to arrive on the national stage. 

Rebuilds are rarely linear. That’s part of what makes them so rewarding. Riley has put in the sweat equity. He finally has his guys. The time is now for USC to break through, or there might not be a next season. 

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