USC Trojans' Biggest Key to Success Next Season

After an eventful offseason, the USC Trojans are ready to compete in the Big Ten and could potentially be ready to make for a College Football Playoff appearance.

With that said, one of the most important factors that often leads to success is experience, and for coach Lincoln Riley that can come through players returning as well as additions through the transfer portal.

CBS Sports writer Cody Nagel ranked the most experienced teams in the FBS from 1-138, and it seems that the Trojans do have a solid amount of experience heading into 2026.

Experience USC Trojans Could Be Key For Success Next Season Coach Lincoln Riley Gary Patterson Big Ten Jayden Maiava — Nov 7, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Northwestern Wildcats during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

USC’s Total Experience Heading Into 2026

In Nagel’s rankings of experience, USC was tied with Tulane at the No. 58 spot with the roster having 20,587 snaps collectively.

On offense and defense, the Trojans also ranked 58th in both categories with 10,341 snaps returning on offense and 10,346 snaps returning on defense. When taking these rankings into account, it is interesting to note that whether done on purpose or indirectly, USC has done a great job of balancing experience on both sides of the ball.

When building a team to compete in the Big Ten, it is vital to be able to keep as much balance as possible, otherwise opposing teams will take advantage of the weaknesses that USC has.

In terms of total games played, the Trojans have a total of 709 which ranks 78th in the country and includes 291 starts which was 50th overall. To have the not only the snaps but also game experience and starts is something that can be very valuable for USC, especially if they want to make a deep run in the College Football Playoff.

Without question, two of the most important position groups in football are quarterback and the offensive line, and as heading into next season, the Trojans will be bringing all starters from the offensive line back in addition to starting quarterback Jayden Maiava: left tackle Elijah Paige, left guard Tobias Raymond, center Kilian O’Connor, right guard Alani Noa, and right tackle Juistin Tauanuu.

The continuity that USC wll be able to have on offense because of Maiava and the returning offensive line is something that could make a major difference for the Trojans.

How Experience Could Benefit USC

Overall, having this much experience on both sides of the ball could give USC a key advantage later in the season over teams that elect to play more freshmen than returning players or transfer portal additions.

The Trojans also have a great amount of experience on the coaching staff in Riley, who has been one of the more innovative minds in college football for a few years now, in addition to Gary Patterson being brought on to be USC’s new defensive coordinator after a very successful coaching career mostly with TCU.

With Patterson’s history as as a playcaller in addition to the experience that several players have for the Trojans on defense, there is an opportunity for this unit to make a significant imprvememnet and install more complex fronts and coverages because the USC’s players should have the ability to handle it.

On offense, Riley could also have an advantage in putting in more plays with Maiava and the offensive line returning, in addition to the running back duo of Waymond Jordan and King Miller, and two receivers in Tanook Hines and Zacharyus Williams. Based on the returning talent that Riley has on offense, the Trojans could have a great opportunity to take a step forward and potentially become one of the more explosive offenses in the Big Ten.

In terms of previous teams who have found great success with experience, one of the biggest examples is the Indiana Hoosiers over the past two season where coach Curt Cignetti has improved one of the worst teams in the country into a team that now has the ability to compete at a high level in the College Football Playoff on a consistent basis.

However, Cignetti has built his roster a lot different than most, as he brought a lot of his players over from his previous coaching stint at James Madison through the transfer portal, as well as finding other players like quarterback Fernando Mendoza to become contributors.

On the other hand, Riley has been able to find a balance of bringing players back, adding through that transfer portal, and building strong recruiting classes which could help USC find success now and should help the Trojans build a program that can be successful for years down the line.

As Riley and USC head into the 2026 season, the experience that the Trojans have on both sides of the ball should help USC to compete with the top teams in college football and give the Trojans an opportunity to have their best season yet under Riley, which could include a College Football Playoff berth.

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