Lincoln Riley Shares Honest Perspective on USC Surviving Rutgers Scare

The USC Trojans coach Lincoln Riley saw a mix of good and bad against Rutgers, which he addressed along with other big topics.

Sep 12, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts after the game against the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns atUnited Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The No. 12 USC Trojans finally hit the skies for the first time in the 2026 season, all after going 3-0 inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

USC now heads back inside its home venue after surviving a feisty Rutgers Scarlet Knights team 42-35. Rutgers even hit the Trojans with some out-of-the-blue tactics, a la a fake punt pass while backed up near its own end zone.

Riley reflected back on the narrow win while addressing other integral topics, including the upcoming heavyweight battle with Oregon, during his appearance on Trojans Live on the evening of Sept. 21.

USC Hits Growth Part of the Season Amid Tough Rutgers Game

Sep 19, 2026; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; USC Trojans running back Riley Wormley (27) carries the ball during the second half as Rutgers Scarlet Knights linebacker Ty Morris (10) pursues at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"It's good to get into these different situations. The first half, it was a unique game. I felt like we were on the verge of blowing it open."

"But I don't think you can underscore the impact of the fake punt [by Rutgers] in the game, especially on a fourth-and-20. We also didn't do a good job of holding them out."

"That was a huge momentum shift in that game. At that moment, you're thinking, 'All right, this is going to be a little bit of a fight.'"

"Give them credit. They made the play, and it wasn't a good call on our part. And that let them back into the game. We had to fight back and overcome some things."

"It's a good learning experience for us, though. You can't replicate that on the road. I'm proud that we got the job done. But we have a lot of things we need to get better at."

Lincoln Riley Denies USC Had Rust in Road Journey

Sep 19, 2026; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; USC Trojans offensive lineman Cash Jacobsen (63) and defensive tackle Braeden Jones (44) celebrate with teammates during the second half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"In watching the game, I didn't see anything where travel was a factor. I thought we did start pretty fast as a team and had great energy."

"Sometimes you forget, it's also about the travel back and getting ready for the next week. That's a big part of it as well. It's about turning over to this next stretch as well."

Impact of Putting Together Stellar Moments on All Three Phases

Sep 19, 2026; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Jonas Williams (15) and wide receiver Ethan Feaster (1) celebrates after the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the second half at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"The two interceptions, then the sequences of getting the third and fourth down stops, were the big moments in the game."

"All three sides did some great things to contribute to the win. But all three sides also left a lot of things on the table. And all three sides know we have to play better, and together, consecutively."

"We had 10 opportunities to put the game away and didn't do it. That was most disappointing."

Red Zone Woes Come to Light

Sep 19, 2026; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights running back Antwan Raymond (3) is tackled by USC Trojans linebacker Desman Stephens II (8) during the second half at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"We were poor in the red zone and not good on third and fourth. We didn't do a great job getting off the field."

"I thought our interior defensive line played pretty darn well. Thought our edges were as good as they were in the past few weeks. We'll need them to play better. We did pretty good against the run game but then became mispositioned and made us pay for it."

"I was most disappointed in the red zone and third/fourth downs. But that's key in every game. If you play well inside the red zone and play good on third and fourth down, you're probably going to play great on defense. But if you don't, you're in for a longer night."

Kayden Dixon-Wyatt Stepping up Outside of Trent Mosley

Sep 19, 2026; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; USC Trojans wide receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt (17) catches a two-point conversion pass during the second half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"He came in and took that job over. There was good competition in camp, and I think he made that pretty clear decision for us."

"He's made competitive plays down the field. He's done decent things after the catch. And he's blocked well. He's done some nice things for us."

"He's been consistent, explosive and [quarterback] Jayden [Maiava] has a lot of trust in him."

Early Take on Oregon Showdown and Sold Out Crowd

Nov 22, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley and Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning greet each other after the game at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"It's a team we obviously know well. A lot of the same players from last year's team."

"It's a very talented football team with experience back. I'm looking forward to it, and it should be a great atmosphere inside the Coliseum."

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