Lincoln Riley Explains USC Trojans' Lack of Explosive Plays vs. Wisconsin

The USC Trojans coach Lincoln Riley watched his own dynamic offense go stagnant in the upset loss to the Wisconsin Badgers.

Sep 26, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley walks off the field after the game against the Oregon Ducks at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Lots of elements didn't play into the favor of the now unranked USC Trojans on Oct. 24. But none became more glaring than seeing a coach Lincoln Riley-led offense lack explosive plays.

The Wisconsin Badgers neutralized the vaunted Trojans attack in the 24-7 upset. Which featured one glaring stat that Riley addressed during his Oct. 26 appearance on Trojans Live.

Lincoln Riley on USC's Stunning Offenses Struggles

USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) looks to throw a pass during the game against Wisconsin, Oct. 24, 2026, at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

"We had 15 opportunities. Not saying they were easy to make, but 15 opportunities."

"You're not going to make 100 percent of your explosive plays, but rarely do we go that dry in that area."

"And then, consequently, it was kind of the perfect storm because you had long fields all night so you're having to drive the ball. But then you don't have explosive plays, that's the pressure it puts on you offensively. And if those things happen, you're not going to score that many points."

"It was a solid performance defensively, but unfortunately we backed that up with our worst offensive and special teams performance of the year. And the equation of on the road against a really good football team is not going to get it done."

"Obviously, we have to play a lot better on offense and special teams. Got to take advantage of those opportunities on the road."

Assessing the Play of USC Quarterback Jayden Maiava

Oct 24, 2026; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) drops back to pass against the Wisconsin Badgers during the first half at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Wahl-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"He made some really nice plays, but missed some things we've become accustomed to him making look so routine."

"We certainly rely on him in a lot of ways to lead us and to play at a high level. "

"We need him to play better. He wasn't horrible, but he wasn't at his very best. And a little bit of sharpness wasn't there."

"But listen, offensively when you're trying to get into rhythm and play good ball, it takes all of the different position groups being in sync. We didn't have one group that was off the charts bad, but we didn't have any group who played well."

Frustrating Part of Coming Out Flat Against Wisconsin

USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) gives the ball to running back King Miller (8) during the game against Wisconsin, Oct. 24, 2026, at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

"I mean our expectations and standards are so high every time we touch the field."

"And anytime you fall short of that, you're going to be disappointed and frustrated."

"I thought the team was prepared. But we weren't able to get into a rhythm offensively and again, didn't play good enough on special teams to get it done. You want all phases to play well together but you've got to compliment each other too."

How USC Responded After Wisconsin Loss

Wisconsin Badgers running back Bryan Jackson II (21) scores a touchdown during the game against USC, Oct. 24, 2026, at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

"They were good. It's kind of like how we responded to the Oregon loss. I mean, we had a good practice on Sunday night (after facing Wisconsin)."

"The guys were into it, ready to go. I mean, everyone is disappointed. But you can't have time to sit there and sulk about it."

"It's big game after big game each week. So we've got to learn from it and turn our attention forward. And I felt our team did a nice job of that."

Preparing for Ohio State Moving Forward

Wisconsin Badgers outside linebacker Sebastian Cheeks (15) sacks USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) during their game Oct. 24, 2026, at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

"Good team, no doubt. Explosive offensively and they've done some really good things since the Texas loss. They've done a nice job of rebounding from that."

"Got a lot of playmakers there. We'll see how the QB situation plays out [starting quarterback Julian Sayin is out]. Obviously, that's going to be a big factor."

"They've played well defensively. They've also been able to stockpile on talent for years and years and you see that stack and stack onto each other. Definitely one of the biggest fronts we've seen. It'll take a complete game to beat them."

Tangling with Ohio State Star Wide Receiver Jeremiah Smith

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) runs past Indiana Hoosiers defensive back Jamari Sharpe (22) during the NCAA football game at Memorial Stadium Stadium in Bloomington, Ind. on Oct. 17, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

"That's the chess match, right?"

"I think our ability to mix it up will be very important."

"But the thing that makes Ohio State so tough is they're more than just him. They've got other weapons with the ability to run the ball and other weapons they can use in the throwing game. But obviously he's the feature player and is a tremendous player. We've got to throw different looks at him."

"I mean, a guy like that, you're not ever going to completely shut down somebody like that. But you've got to try to limit the damage as much as you can and not give him the 'gimmies' because you're putting so much attention on him."

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