How USC Is Impacted By Kyle Whittingham's Departure For Michigan

The USC Trojans officially closed out their second inaugural Big Ten season as of last month, finishing 9-3 overall and 7-2 in Big Ten play. USC now gears up for one final contest against the TCU Horned Frogs in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 30.

USC's second Big Ten season came with strong improvements across the board, including staffing changes, emerging players and key wins. What coach Lincoln Riley comes face-to-face in the future is Michigan's brand new head coach, Kyle Whittingham.

USC Trojans Big Ten Pac-12 Rivalry Kyle Whittingham Michigan Wolverines Lincoln Riley College Football Rivalry Rose Bowl Conf — Oct 21, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham (left) and Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley shake hands during the game at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Whittingham was the head coach at Utah for 20 seasons, and announced he was stepping down at the conclusion of the season. Now, Whittingham enters the Big Ten conference as a head coach, and will face familar Pac-12 foes along the way, including Riley.

Riley, Whittingham Set To Compete In 2028

Although the Trojans and the Wolverines are not scheduled to face each other until the 2028 season, the last two games have come to prove the talent and competition both programs bring. With Whittingham at the helm, Riley faces a coach who seems to run away with victories at every meeting.

During his time at Utah, Whittingham achieved back-to-back Pac-12 championships in 2021 and 2022 and four Pac-12 division championships in 2015, 2018, 2019 and 2021. The all time win leader at Utah also earned Pac-12 coach of the year honors, and finished 177-88 overall.

Whittingham was at the helm of the Utes when they beat the Trojans not once, but twice, in the 2022 season, with former USC quarterback Caleb Williams leading the way. Utah defeated USC the first time in the regular season, and the second in the Pac-12 conference title game. Even with a couple years of breathing room, Riley and Whittingham meet for the first time on the Big Ten stage in 2028.

Riley and Whittingham do share the same recent challenges as a head coach: A conference change. Whittingham and the Utes left the Pac-12 to join the Big 12, alongside former conference members like Colorado, Arizona, and Arizona State joined as well. Riley is currently 0-3 against Whittingham as USC's head coach, and USC is 7-7 against Whittingham.

Similar to Riley's relationship with Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule, Riley will face familar competition, in a brand new setting.

Big Ten Rivalry In Coming Years?

MORE: What TCU Is Saying About USC’s Offense Before Alamo Bowl

MORE: USC Trojans Defensive Back Clarifies Injury Status Ahead Of Alamo Bowl

MORE: USC Trojans Breakout Candidates Following NFL Draft, Transfer Portal Departures

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER HERE!

USC and Michigan have now faced each other twice on the Big Ten stage, with Michigan claiming the first win in Ann Arbor, and USC dominating in Los Angeles this year. Now, with Whittingham leading the Wolverines, the Trojans have a past tie to the current Big Ten program that could, potentially, stem into something bigger.

Prior to USC's entrance to the Big Ten, USC and Michigan had competed in 2003 and 2006 in the Rose Bowl, the Pac-12 and Big Ten's most iconic bowl game for the conferences. Considering the two are now conference opponents in the Big Ten, the matchups could begin to build a rivalry energy around it in the coming years, especially with Whittingham.

With the news of the USC vs. Notre Dame rivalry getting removed from each others schedules until 2030, a program like Michigan could very much take the place. Now, by any means, this matchup does not meet the standards of a competitive nearly century old USC and Notre Dame rivalry, but Riley and Whittingham reuniting, this time as Big Ten head coaches, two blue-blood programs could ring in a rivalry.