USC’s Brutal Schedule Can’t Be an Excuse for Lincoln Riley

The USC Trojans will face a gauntlet in the fall. Southern Cal has critical games against Indiana, Ohio State and Oregon but the Trojans tough schedule can't be an excuse for the program taking a step back under Lincoln Riley.

Nov 15, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action 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 Big Ten released the USC Trojans schedule for the 2026 season, which features several high-profile matchups in the fall. 

It’s a brutal slate with conference games against Indiana, Ohio State and Oregon, three of the top five seeds from this past College Football Playoffs. USC will also host Washington and make the cross-county trip to Penn State in early October. All of those games could have a major impact on the College Football Playoff race. 

Nov 15, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action 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

But it’s what comes with playing in the premiere conference in college football that has won each of the last three national championships. 

It’s year five for USC under Lincoln Riley and results need to be seen. And the Trojans gauntlet of a schedule is not an excuse for them not to be. Southern Cal has been using the slogan “The Time is Now” on billboards and it couldn’t be more fitting because the time is now. It’s time for Riley to bring the program back into the national spotlight. 

This why USC pulled the 42-year-old coach away from Oklahoma in November 2021 with a lucrative 10-year contract. He made three consecutive conference championships and College Football Playoff appearances in Norman but hasn’t been able to replicate that success in Los Angeles. 

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Riley came close to getting the Trojans into the College Football Playoff in his first season. They won 11 games in regular season and faced Utah in the Pac-12 Championship Game in a win and their in scenario. 

After taking an early two touchdown lead, they stumbled in the final three quarters. If Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Caleb Williams doesn’t get suffer a hamstring injury, does it change the outcome, maybe. But the defense was also horrific that night and nobody cares about “what if” scenarios, the end result is the only thing that matters. 

Last season, the Trojans saw a three-game improvement from 2024. They remained in the College Football Playoff discussion until late November. Riley spoke numerous times in the fall about the ascension of the program and how vital this past season was for the future. 

The next step is beating elite teams in your conference because you are one of those elite teams. 

Turning Points in 2026 Season 

Jul 24, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; USC head coach Lincoln Riley speaks to the media during the Big Ten NCAA college football media days at Mandalay Bay Resort. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images | Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

USC has a great opportunity to change the trajectory of the program with multiple signature wins in 2026. The Trojans host Oregon in late September and Ohio State in late October and then Indiana in mid-November. 

A statement win can have a drastic impact on the current season and the College Football Playoff race but also on recruiting. And after signing the No. 1 recruiting class in the 2026 cycle, USC needs to keep stacking elite recruiting classes in future cycles. 

It’s a tough schedule, there’s no way around it. But the only thing Riley and the team will be judged on is what the record shows at the end of the season. 

Sep 27, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley talks with players during the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

A three-loss team won’t make it into the College Football Playoff and based on last season, a two-loss team is no guarantee, depending on where a team stands after conference championship weekend. 

Next season is about the Trojans player development taking a massive leap and the roster blossoming into a team that wins games that no one expected them to. 

That’s what happened with Indiana under Curt Cignetti in 2025. The Hoosiers had a dominant home win over then No. 9-Illinois in September and then a win over then No. 3-Oregon in Eugene the next month, which shaped their season.