Biggest Reasons Why USC, Lincoln Riley Need to Compete Next Season

Since arriving at USC, coach Lincoln Riley has asked for the proper patience to allow him to rebuild the Trojans program back into a national powerhous. But now entering his fifth season, that window is closing. With a loaded roster, elite recruiting, and a revamped staff, 2026 is a College Football Playoff or bust season for the Trojans. That's not just outside pressure, that's reality.

USC enters the season with 17 returning starters, the most in the Big Ten. It also brings in the No. 1 recruiting class in the country, a 35-player group capable of contributing immediately. Add in a major defensive overhaul led by newly hired defensive coordinator Gary Patterson, and the infrastructure Riley has been building is finally complete. Only thing left now is to produce real results.

Continuity, Talent, and Buy-In Are Finally Aligned

For the first time under Riley, USC has true continuity on the field. Nine starters return on offense. Eight more are back on defense. In today’s transfer portal era, that kind of retention matters as much as any recruiting ranking. because it signals belief.

With the return of redshirt senior Jayden Maiava, star running backs King Miller and Waymond Jordan along with the entire offensive line, the foundation of the USC offense remains fully in tact. In spite of losing a handful of key pieces on both sides of the ball like wide receiver Makai Lemon and safety Kamari Ramsey, the Trojans have a few promising young players returning that will have a more heavily featured role this season compared to last.

Two in particular are freshman from last season in defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart and Tanook Hines who now come in with higher expectations after proving themselves in limited sample size. Riley is banking on internal development and continuity to give USC an edge not many programs are granted these days with all the player movement and NIL swaying.

At the same time, the incoming class is raising the ceiling. Five star defensive lineman Luke Wafle and Jaimeon Winfield are already look like well-seasoned Big Ten veterans. Wide receivers in Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and Trent Mosley have shown flashes of early chemistry building with Jayden Maiava. And in the secondary there is a lot of potential considering all the depth and talent added at both cornerback and safety in just one offseason headlined by Iowa State transfer, cornerback Jontez Williams.

In short, this group may a new infusion of youth, but this roster is not built for a gap season. They are built with plug-and-play talent. Rather than having to rebuild the roster, the Trojans are reloading.

The Defense Will Define the Season

Riley’s offensive track record is established, but his defenses at USC have been the issue. That’s why the addition of Gary Patterson matters more than any single player.

Patterson brings 21 years of head coaching experience and a résumé built on elite defenses. At TCU, he produced five No. 1 total defenses and consistently built units that could handle physical, high-level competition. That’s exactly what USC needs in the Big Ten. Because the schedule won’t allow for gradual improvement.

Home games against the Oregon Ducks, Washington Huskies, and Ohio State Buckeyes will test USC’s ceiling. Road trips to Penn State Nittany Lions and Indiana Hoosiers will test its toughness. There’s no soft runway here. If the defense isn’t ready early, the margin for error disappears fast. Simply put: if Patterson fixes the defense, USC becomes a playoff team. If not, the same conversations will resurface.

The Pressure is Mounting Fast

Fans are starving for the program's first College Football Playoff appearance and rightfully so. USC has the resources, location equity and brand power of all the blue blood progams with championship expectations.

Riley’s best USC season remains his first, an 11-3 campaign led by now Chicago Bears franchise quarterback Caleb Williams. Since then, the program has stalled short of true contention. Good hasn’t been good enough. Now, everything is in place to change that.

The roster is fully fleshed out with both experience and an elite recruitng pipeline. The coaching staff has been upgraded across each main position group. The expections are clear. USC doesn’t need more time. It needs to win.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, and X for the latest news.