Lincoln Riley Speaks Candidly on USC Trojans' Challenging Big Ten Schedule

Now the USC Trojans enter road week, plus Big Ten play, which coach Lincoln Riley addressed in his recent media appearance.

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

Coach Lincoln Riley now leads the nation's No. 12 ranked team in the 2026 USC Trojans.

USC received a slight bump up thanks to withstanding its late Sept. 12 contest against Louisiana, 49-30. The Trojans are now 3-0 overall, making them the Big Ten Conference's lone team with that record.

Speaking of the Big Ten, that gauntlet now arrives for USC, which became a big topic during Riley's Sept. 14 appearance on Trojans Live.

Lincoln Riley Dives Into What He's Learned About 2026 Trojans

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

"We've learned a lot. The games have all been three different challenges. And different schematically with how all of them played."

"We were able to play a ton of players in all three games. Our first group did a great job of separating and giving us those opportunities. And those have been invaluable."

"You can see the growth out of these young guys we're playing. You can see the growth week-to-week and see guys start to come on."

Big Ten Play Now on Deck for USC

Sep 12, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) throws the ball against the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"With the schedule that we have, and what's upcoming, we're going to need these guys. We've learned a lot and now, we're set to take on new challenges.

"And we're excited about that. We're ready to get on the road and ready for Big Ten play.

"We've had our fun here in the beginning and it's been great, but it's time for the next thing."

Lincoln Riley Impressed by Lunch Winfield, But Also USC Defense

Sep 12, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns quarterback Lunch Winfield (7) throws the ball against the Southern California Trojans in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"I thought that was definitely a different challenge. Defensively, playing against that athletic of a quarterback was definitely going to be a challenge for us. And it was. He was a great player and a competitor."

"For the most part, I thought we did a really nice job against him. We did give up a lot of big plays and obviously, the penalties showed up. That's something we've got to clean up."

"But we're still able to create a lot of havoc in the backfield. Our defensive line has been very, very active."

Determing if King Miller is Officially USC's Lead Running Back

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

"It's definitely still a competitive group. He and Waymond Jordan are the two starters for us."

"When you're playing two guys, you're going to have games like that. The ball finds its way to one guy a little bit more and he pops another run or two."

"That's the way it's going to go. But it's going to be beneficial for us in the long term throughout the season."

"And you know, Waymo (Waymond Jordan) continues to get better each week. He's just starting to look like his old self each week. You see a little bit more jump and pop, and that's going to bode well for us. But it's a great one-two combo."

Lincoln Riley Dives Into What he's Seen From Rutgers

Sep 11, 2026; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights quarterback AJ Surace (10) throws a pass during the second half against the Boston College Eagles at Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"We played in a late kick here, which was 11 p.m. their time."

"But they're a little bit of a different team this year. Definitely got some new faces offensively and in the skill room. Got a new defensive coordinator too who's been a head coach. They've got some big guys, which you would expect from a Rutgers team especially with how physical they are."

"We've got some great challenges coming up, including this one. We've got to be ready to play."

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