Nebraska's Matt Rhule Addresses Lincoln Riley's Offensive Mind Before USC Matchup

The No. 23 USC Trojans enter another road contest, facing the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Lincoln, Nebraska. Facing the Trojans, Nebraska coach Matt Rhule spoke highly of coach Lincoln Riley and the USC offense ahead of their Big Ten home match.

Aug 28, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule walks onto the field during warmups before the game against the Cincinnati Bearcats at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

It’s been three weeks since the No. 23 USC Trojans' last Big Ten showdown, and they return to the conference competition on the road at Nebraska Cornhuskers on Nov. 1. USC is coming off a heartbreaking 34-24 loss to rival No. 12 Notre Dame Fighting Irish in week 8, and the team will hit the road in week 10 following their final bye week. 

The prime time game with the Trojans is a key matchup for the Cornhuskers, especially after their close win over Northwestern 28-21. However, for a USC team that faced a loss followed by an off week, USC will be looking to get back in the win column. When asked about facing Riley, Nebraska coach Matt Rhule spoke highly of the Trojans coach, and his elite offense he’s developed with the Trojans. 

“Brilliant offensive mind," Rhule told the media on Monday. "He's gonna score, no matter what. He's just gonna find a way to score points. I think he’s an awesome guy and a great coach.”

What Matt Rhule Said About Lincoln Riley, USC Trojans

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

What Rhule also noted about Riley's elite offense, who leads the nation in yards per game with 530, is their ability to score in the red zone.

"They're elite in the red zone," Rhule said. "At the end of the day, how many yards you give up and all that stuff, if you're elite in the red zone, you hold people to field goals, you're gonna win games."

Rhule and USC coach Lincoln Riley have gone head-to-head multiple times, between their Big 12 and AAC days, and now will be their second time on the Big Ten stage on opposite sidelines. 

Riley and Rhule previously crossed paths when Riley was the offensive coordinator at East Carolina and Rhule was the head coach at Temple, and later in the Big 12 during Riley’s time as offensive coordinator and head coach at Oklahoma and Rhule’s tenure at Baylor.

In the six times that Rhule and Riley have faced off, Riley holds a 5-1 record when playing Rhule’s teams. 

Sep 29, 2018; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners head coach Lincoln Riley (left) speaks with Baylor Bears head coach Matt Rhule (right) before the game at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

How Jayden Maiava Has Developed Since Last Nebraska Meeting

Oct 18, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) drops back to throw the ball in the first half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

In a pivotal point of last season for the Trojans, last year’s matchup with the Cornhuskers marked quarterback Jayden Maiava’s first start as USC’s quarterback. 

After leading USC to a 28–20 win over the Cornhuskers, Maiava quickly made a name for himself as Riley’s future starting quarterback.

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For Rhule, facing a first time starting quarterback towards the end of last season, he only had good things to say about Maiava’s growth under Riley. 

“He manages the game at a really high level. He can throw the deep ball, he can move the ball, he can zone read,” Rhule said. “They utilize him as a runner in the red zone, (and) he gets outside the pocket and can see the field. He’s just another in the long line of quarterbacks under coach (Riley).”

Oct 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) warms up prior to the game against the Michigan Wolverines at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Against the Cornhuskers last year, Maiava threw for 259 passing yards, 25 of 25 passing, three touchdowns and one interception. So far this season, Maiava has thrown for 2,180 passing yards, 15 passing touchdowns, four rushing and four interceptions. 

In a high-stakes matchup for both programs, USC aims to secure its fourth conference win and sixth overall, while Nebraska looks to build on its performance against the Wildcats and earn a home victory under the lights.