Three Key Questions USC Trojans, Lincoln Riley Must Answer on the Field

Heading into the 2026 season, it seems that the pressure is ramping up on the USC Trojans and coach Lincoln Riley to not just compete in the Big Ten but also make the College Football Playoff.

However, for USC to silence the critics, there are three key questions the Trojans must answer next season.

Three Key Questions USC Trojans Must Answer Next Season Big Ten Competition Defense Improvement Jayden Maiava Performance — Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley leads the Spirit of Troy marching band in a rendition of Tribute to Troy after teh game against the UCLA Bruins at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Can USC win games against elite competition?

Without a doubt, one of the biggest questions that USC has to answer is whether or not they have the ability to win the tough games against the elite competition across the landscape of college football.

The good news for the Trojans is the fact that they have plenty of opportunities next season to prove that they do have the ability to win tough games against the top of the Big Ten. The three games where USC can prove the critics wrong are the matchups with the Oregon Ducks, Ohio State Buckeyes, and the Indiana Hoosiers.

In these games, the Trojans have the benefit of playing Oregon and Ohio State at home, but USC does have to go on the road to play at Indiana. The interesting part about these games is that the Trojans face Oregon in September, but near the end of the season, USC will have to play against Ohio State and Indiana in back-to-back games with a bye week in between.

With these games on the schedule, Riley must find a way to keep his team focused and ready to compete throughout the schedule because the rest of USC’s conference schedule could prove to be just as difficult with the traveling the Trojans have to do over the course of the season.

So, if USC can stay focused throughout the season against every opponent and win against the elite competition in the Big Ten, the Trojans should be in a great position to compete at a high level in the Big Ten and potentially make the College Football Playoff.

Did USC's defense improve enough?

Under Riley, one of the biggest struggles for USC has been to have a defense that can consistently get stops. If the Trojans do want to contend in the Big Ten, the defense is something that must improve and could go a long way in determining the overall team success for USC.

Heading into next season, the Trojans have made a change at defensive coordinator with the hire of Gary Patterson, who has experienced great success in his career as a defensive coordinator. In addition to Patterson coming in, USC has also been able to add several players on defense, with a few players returning to the Trojans for 2026 as well.

The key additions for USC include freshman defensive end Luke Wafle, Iowa State transfer cornerback Jontez Williams, Michigan State transfer defensive tackle Alex VanSumeren, and Washington transfer linebacker Deven Bryant.

Returning for the Trojans are defensive tackles Jahkeem Stewart, Jide Abasiri, and Jamaal Jarrett; defensive ends Kameryn Crawford and Braylan Shelby; linebackers Desman Stephens II and Jadyn Walker; cornerbacks Marcelles Williams and Alex Graham; and safeties Christain Pierce and Kennedy Urlacher.

With the new additions and the returning players that USC has on defense, the Trojans should be in a position to take a step forward, but that is something that USC will not know until this defense is tested next season when Big Ten conference play begins.

As the Trojans’ defense prepares for next season, the ability to generate consistent stops and turnovers could be the difference between USC having an average season or a season where the Trojans become one of the best teams in the Big Ten and finally qualify for the College Football Playoff.

Can Jayden Maiava emerge as a top quarterback in the country?

For USC to truly take a step forward, one of the major questions that has to be answered is whether or not quarterback Jayden Maiava can become one of the top quarterbacks in the conference.

Last season, Maiava had a solid performance as he totaled 3,711 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, and completed 65.8 percent of his passes. Maiava also added a rushing element to USC’s offense as a rusher while recording 157 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.

As Maiava heads into next season, he will be entering his third season under Riley, and could take a major step forward with an even better grasp of the offense and ability to process college defenses much faster.

However, to take that step forward, Maiava will have to perform well against some great competition, which includes what could be three of the top defenses in the entire country in Oregon, Ohio State, and Indiana. Maiava will also have to lead the Trojans into several hostile environments on the road, including road games at Penn State and Wisconsin, which could be games that USC struggles in if Maiava and the offense struggle to find a rhythm.

So, as the Trojans head into next season, Maiava’s ability to build on his 2025 performance and lead USC’s offense to success in tough situations against top opponents at home and on the road will go a long way in determining the Trojans success and if Maiava becomes one of the best quarterbacks in the country

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