The vibe around Heritage Hall right now is, honestly, a bit weird. If you walk past the John McKay Center, you’ll see the same palm trees and hear the same "Fight On" spirit, but there's this underlying tension that wasn't there four years ago. People expected a Ferrari. Instead, they’ve got a very expensive, high-performance vehicle that seems to stall every time it hits a Big Ten snowstorm or a high-stakes bowl game.
Lincoln Riley is staying. He said it himself—100%. But after a 2025 season that saw the Trojans finish 9-4 and lose a heartbreaker to TCU in the Alamo Bowl, the "honeymoon" hasn't just ended; it’s been filed away in the archives. Southern Cal Trojans football is currently a program caught between its glorious "tailback U" past and a future that looks increasingly like an offensive track meet with a defensive identity crisis.
The 2025 Reality Check and the Big Ten Jump
Transitioning to the Big Ten was never going to be easy, but the 2025 campaign proved exactly how physical this new world is. USC went 7-2 in conference play, which looks great on paper until you realize they got handled by Oregon and dropped a head-scratcher to Illinois.
It’s the same old story. The offense can put up 73 points on Missouri State, but when the pads start popping in late November, the trenches look a little thin. Jayden Maiava took over the reins at quarterback and looked like a star in flashes, throwing for 280 yards in the Alamo Bowl. But those two interceptions in that same game? That’s the sort of thing that keeps fans up at night.
Honestly, the defense under D'Anton Lynn showed improvement, but losing key pieces like Devan Thompkins to the transfer portal (he headed to Alabama, of all places) is a gut punch. You can't build a wall if the bricks keep moving to Tuscaloosa.
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What Most People Get Wrong About the "Hot Seat"
There is a lot of talk on Reddit and X about firing Riley. Stop it. It’s not happening.
First off, his buyout is reportedly north of $70 million. That is "generational wealth" money. Second, look at the recruiting. USC just landed the No. 1 recruiting class for 2026, headlined by five-star Mark Bowman. Riley isn't just coaching games; he’s hoarding talent like a dragon in a cave.
The Quarterback Carousel
Wait, where did Miller Moss go? If you haven't been keeping up, Moss ended up at Louisville, where he actually put up some monster numbers (over 2,600 yards and 16 touchdowns). It’s the classic USC dilemma: too many chefs in the kitchen.
Now, the room belongs to Maiava, but Husan Longstreet—the five-star freshman everyone was hyped about—is already in the portal. It’s a revolving door. You've got to wonder if the NIL pressure and the "start now" culture are making it impossible to develop a three-year starter at the most important position on the field.
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The Identity Crisis: Soft vs. Southern Cal
There is this nagging narrative that Southern Cal Trojans football has become "soft." Critics point to the loss against Indiana in the CFP quarters (wait, let's be accurate—USC didn't even make the 2025 CFP, they fell to No. 16 and played in the Alamo Bowl). The loss to TCU in overtime, where they blew a 24-14 lead in the fourth quarter, only fed the trolls.
To be fair, the Trojans are 35-18 under Riley. That’s not bad. It’s just not USC good. When you grow up on Pete Carroll and Reggie Bush, 9-4 feels like a failing grade.
The Defensive Rebuild
- Staff Changes: Riley is reportedly bringing in Mike Ekeler from Nebraska to handle special teams.
- The Lynn Effect: D'Anton Lynn is back for 2026, but he’s basically working with a jigsaw puzzle where half the pieces are new transfers.
- Physicality: The Big Ten demands a 4-3 base that can actually stop a power run. USC’s defense gave up 23 points per game in 2025. Not terrible, but when you’re playing Ohio State or Michigan, that’s a thin margin for error.
The 2026 Outlook: CFP or Bust?
The 2026 season is basically a referendum on the Lincoln Riley era. The schedule isn't getting any easier, and the fans are losing patience with the "we're building something" rhetoric.
They have the talent. They have the brand. They certainly have the money. What they don't have is a signature win that says, "We belong in the Big Ten title conversation."
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Basically, the Trojans are at a point where they need to stop being a "fun" team and start being a "scary" team. That starts with the offensive line, which actually returned all five starters for 2026, including guys like Alani Noa. If they can't protect Maiava and open holes for the run game, all that five-star recruiting won't mean a thing.
Actionable Steps for the 12th Man
If you’re a die-hard Trojan, the best thing you can do right now is keep an eye on the spring transfer window. The roster is still incredibly fluid. Watch the development of the defensive line—specifically Jide Abasiri and Floyd Boucard. They are the ones who have to replace the production lost in the portal.
Also, get to the Coliseum early. The atmosphere is changing, and the program needs that home-field advantage to feel like a fortress again rather than a tourist destination.