Lincoln Riley Unhappy With USC's Kickoff Times: 'We Don't Make the Schedule, Clearly'

The Trojans are going from the latest start time to the earliest this Saturday.

Lincoln Riley doesn't sound too thrilled about the Trojans' start time this weekend. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The No. 21 USC Trojans are headed to Illinois on Saturday to face the No. 23 Fighting Illini on what is technically a short week.

Given the ever-changing landscape of college football—and what was essentially the disbandment of the Pac-12—several west coast teams have joined other conferences and, in turn, have been forced into some wonky schedules.

For USC specifically, the Trojans hosted Michigan State last weekend for an 11 p.m. ET kickoff, and now have to turn around and head to Illinois this weekend for a 12 p.m. ET start—and head coach Lincoln Riley doesn't sound too thrilled about it:

"We've tried to be aware. I mean, going from the absolute latest kick in the country to the absolute earliest kick in the country has its challenges," Riley explained at Trojans practice on Wednesday. "But the challenge—it is what it is. We don't make the schedule, clearly, and so we've had to adapt a little bit in the way that we prepare and how much we've done ... it compounds if you're not careful. So we've tried to be mindful of getting our work done, but at the same time knowing that we need to put a fresh football team on that airplane."

Lincoln Riley isn’t thrilled about USC’s early kickoff this week in Champaign.

“Going from the absolute latest kick in the country to the absolute earliest kick in the country has its challenges. But the challenges — like, it is what it is. We don’t make the schedule. Clearly.” pic.twitter.com/BZxA2udfZR

— Ryan Kartje (@RyanKartje) September 25, 2025

While he's certainly got a point, that's just college football now. Adapt or die, as they say.

USC is 4-0 to start the season and starting quarterback Jayden Maiava not only has 13 total touchdowns, but has yet to turn the football over. Long story short, even with the changing kickoff times, things are going just fine in SoCal.

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