How Lincoln Riley Improved USC Trojans' Practice Schedule This Season

The No. 17 USC Trojans are coming off a big win, but must quickly shift their attention toward the No. 8 Oregon Ducks. USC coach Lincoln Riley revealed how the Trojans' practice schedule this year has better prepared the team each week.

Sep 3, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts in the second half against the Rice Owls at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The No. 17 USC Trojans will play the No. 8 Oregon Ducks in a critical matchup on Saturday, Nov. 22. USC is coming off a big win against the No. 21 Iowa Hawkeyes, in which the Trojans kept their College Football Playoff hopes alive. It was a crucial win at home, but the Trojans cannot focus on the past and must quickly shift their attention towards the Ducks.

USC coach Lincoln Riley revealed ahead of Saturday’s matchup how he has kept the team’s focus on the next game throughout the season. For the first time since Riley took over USC, the Trojans are practicing on Sundays.

Oct 28, 2023; Berkeley, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley walks on the field before a game against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

“I think for all of us, it’s just been great to mentally get past the game no matter what happens and set the stage for the upcoming week right away,” Riley said. “It was a schedule we had hoped to get to right when I got here, but the class schedules here were a little tough to work around, so it’s taken a little bit of time for us to get to that point.”

“But now, I think it’s been great for our whole program. I think just mentally we’ve been able to get on to the next thing. The guys have responded well to it. I think it’s been good for their recovery. It’s been great for the coaches because now we get a full day on Monday to really just kinda dive in. I think the schedule has really, really benefited us so far,” Riley continued.

How Sunday Practices Have Helped The USC Trojans

Sep 28, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts after a game against the Wisconsin Badgers at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

In addition to helping the team recover physically from a game, the Sunday practices have helped the Trojans mentally. The Trionas kicked off the season with a 4-0 record, putting up a minimum of 33 points in those games.

One of the mental challenges with big wins is ensuring no one feels too comfortable about the team's performance. The Sunday practices reinforce the importance of taking it one win at a time, which has helped the Trojans not only play at a high level but also finish games and play all four quarters.

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The Trojans lost their first game in week 5 of the season. The loss was against the Illinois Fighting Illini, who were ranked in the AP Poll at the time. This fueled the narrative that Riley and the Trojans can not defeat ranked opponents, which could cause a distraction if the team thinks about the negatives for too long.

Instead of letting the loss linger, not only for the players but also the coaching staff, having Sunday practice helped the Trojans return the next week to take down the then-ranked No. 15 Michigan Wolverines.

Nov 15, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) moves out to pass against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Trojans are coming off of a massive win against Iowa, which involved a comeback in the second half of the game after USC sustained several injuries. It was a big win that keeps the Trojans in contention to make the CFP, but USC has an even bigger matchup against Oregon. While the team could celebrate for the day, by Sunday, the Trojans are focused on their next opponent and how they can take down the Ducks.

What A Win Against Oregon Would Mean For USC

There are two weeks left of the college football regular season, and as USC has two losses already, the Trojans cannot suffer another as they push for a playoff appearance. The Ducks are a one-loss team, only losing to the No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers.

If the USC Trojans can travel to Autzen Stadium and defeat the No. 8-ranked team, Riley and the program could soar enough in the rankings to make the top 12, ultimately making the CFP.

Sep 13, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley stands on the sidelines during the first quarter against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

The way Riley is helping the team stay focused will come to the test if USC defeats Oregon. While USC can celebrate winning against a top-ranked team on the road, it will be critical for the Trojans to remember the season is not yet over, and a playoff appearance would still not be guaranteed.

The Trojans will close out the regular season at home against the UCLA Bruins. While the Bruins are unranked and 3-7, the Trojans will have to avoid an upset and play at a high level to be sure to clinch a playoff spot.

USC and Oregon will kick off at 12:30 p.m. PT at Autzen Stadium.