Lincoln Riley Eyes First College Football Playoff Berth As USC’s Coach

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When USC hired Lincoln Riley as its football coach in November 2021, the Trojans had high expectations. Riley, who had turned 38 two months earlier, was considered the best young coach in the nation after winning an average of 11 games in five seasons at Oklahoma. Now, Riley’s reputation has taken a hit, as he has yet to lead USC to a College Football Playoff appearance and faces pressure heading into his fifth season.

Two recent preseason media polls conducted by Cleveland.com and veteran reporters Doug Lesmerises and Bill Landis each had USC predicted to finish fourth in the Big Ten Conference. If that were to happen, it would be the Trojans’ best placement in the Big Ten since they joined the league two years ago. They tied for ninth in 2024 with a 4-5 Big Ten record (7-6 overall) and tied for fourth last year with a 7-2 record (9-4 overall).

USC finished 16th in the final CFP rankings in 2025 and lost on the road to Illinois (34-32), Notre Dame (34-24) and Oregon (42-27). It then lost to TCU 30-27 in overtime in the Alamo Bowl. The Trojans’ only quality victories were at home against Michigan and Iowa, which both finished 9-4 and No. 18 and No. 23, respectively, in the final CFP poll.

This season, USC has a more difficult schedule, as the Trojans face the three teams ranked above them in the preseason polls in Ohio State (at home on Oct. 31), Oregon (at home on Sept. 26) and Indiana (on the road on Nov. 14). Each of those teams made the CFP last season, with Indiana winning the title, one year after Ohio State won it all. Still, Riley said he is comfortable with USC’s position.

“Right now, I feel like our alignment is as strong as it’s ever been,” Riley said at the Big Ten media days on Tuesday. “I got a great vantage point in my years at Oklahoma what great alignment, what steady leadership really looks like in a program. I can sit here today and say really for the first time at USC I feel all of those things are operating at a high level and are very, very steady right now.”

During the offseason, USC hired former TCU head coach Gary Patterson as defensive coordinator and Mike Ekeler as special teams coordinator, looking to shore up two areas that struggled last season. Ekeler was previously special teams coordinator at Nebraska and Tennessee in recent years, while Patterson hasn’t coached full-time since resigning from TCU in 2021.

Patterson, who won nearly 70% of his games in 22 seasons at TCU, was recently inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. But he is stepping into a challenging situation, as USC allowed 5.3 yards per play last season, ranking 53^rd in the nation, including 6.8 yards per pass attempt (48th) and 4.4 yards per rush (68th). When Riley coached at Oklahoma, he was undefeated against Patterson’s TCU teams, but he always respected the veteran coach.

“I’ve never coached against somebody that I thought was more unique and tougher to go against than Gary Patterson,” Riley said. “I’m certainly feeling his impact defensively. I’m certainly feeling his impact of just having a fellow head coach in the building, somebody else that has sat in this chair and make some of these decisions.”

Since Riley’s time at Oklahoma, where he coached current NFL quarterbacks Caleb Williams, Jalen Hurts, Kyler Murray and Baker Mayfield, he has been known for high-scoring offenses. This year should be no different.

The Trojans return starting quarterback Jayden Maiava, who completed 65.8% of his passes for 3,711 yards, 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions last season. He was second in the nation with 8.5 yards per play and fifth with 14 passing yards per completion. USC also has five starting offensive linemen back in guards Alani Noa and Tobias Raymond, tackles Elijah Paige and Justin Tauanuu and center Kilian O’Connor. And they have a pair of returning running backs in Waymond James (576 rushing yards in six games in 2025) and King Miller (972 rushing yards in 13 games), who each averaged more than six yards per carry last season.

USC also has the top freshmen class in Division I, per 247Sports, including 5-star prospects in offensive tackle Keenyi Pepe and defensive linemen Luke Wafle and Jaimeon Winfield and seven others who are ranked in 247Sports’ top 100 rankings. It was the Trojans’ first recruiting class since USC hired Chad Bowden as general manager and Max Stienecker as executive director of player personnel and shows that the program still has clout among top players.

Still, USC has to perform on the field this season for the Trojans to continue their momentum attracting talent. The program has never made the CFP since the format began in 2014. This season, though, the Trojans need to make the 12-team CFP field for Riley to feel secure in his job.

“The only two schools that I’ve been a head coach at were blue blood schools that have the highest of expectations,” Riley said. “Honestly, I’ve really not known anything different.”

He added: “Every year, I expect to win. I expect us to win. I expect us to compete for and win championships. That doesn’t change. I certainly will give you what has changed. We’re more equipped than at any pint in the previous few years. That’s not a hope or wish. Those are facts.”

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