USC Trojans Coach Lincoln Riley Addresses Early Kickoff vs. Illinois

The No. 21 USC Trojans will face the No. 23 Illinois Fighting Illini on Saturday, Sept. 27, at 9 a.m. PT. It will be an early kickoff time as the Trojans face their first ranked opponent of the season. Ahead of the matchup, USC coach Lincoln Riley voiced his concern over the kickoff time.

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

The No. 21 USC Trojans will face the No. 23 Illinois Fighting Illini on Saturday, Sept. 27. It will be both an away matchup for USC and an early kickoff, set for 9 a.m. PT (11 a.m. local).

Joining the Big Ten, travel and time zone differences were a concern for the West Coast teams. Ahead of the matchup against Illinois, USC coach Lincoln Riley expressed his displeasure with the early kickoff time during a media appearance.

Why Riley Criticized Early Kickoff

Aug 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches from the sidelines against the Missouri State Bears in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans are 4-0 to start the season, coming off a win against the Michigan State Spartans. The matchup kicked off at 8:30 p.m. PT, which is the latest kickoff time, and now the Trojans are heading into the earliest time slot just one week later.

“We’ve had to adapt a little bit in the way that we’ve prepared and how much that we’ve done,” Riley said. “It compounds if you’re not careful. So we’ve tried to be mindful of getting our work done, but at the same time knowing that we need to put a fresh football team on the airplane.”

“Going from the absolute latest kick in the country to the absolute earliest kick in the country has its challenges. But the challenges - like, it is what it is. We don’t make the schedule. Clearly,” Riley said.

Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

This is USC’s second season in the Big Ten conference. Last year, Riley and the Trojans traveled to the Eastern and Central time zones three times, losing all three games against the Michigan Wolverines, Minnesota Golden Gophers, and the Maryland Terrapins.

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In the Trojans' inaugural season in the Big Ten, there was a challenge playing in another time zone.. None of the three matchups took place at 9 a.m. PT, and while USC has played early kickoffs before, it does not happen often.

Nov 18, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley during the first quarter at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images | Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images

USC kicked off against the Colorado Buffaloes in 2023 at 9 a.m. PT, and while it was less traveling for the team, the Trojans still walked off with the win.

USC Must Find A Way To Start Strong

The concern with playing early is having a slow, possibly sluggish, start to the games. Riley and the Trojans will have to find a way to get energized quickly and start strong. USC has been a dominant team through the first four weeks and will want to maintain that momentum.

Dec 27, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) throws the ball against the Texas A&M Aggies in the first half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Illinois Fighting Illini will be the Trojans' first ranked opponent of the season, but they are coming off a brutal loss against the No. 11 Indiana Hoosiers. Illinois will be looking to bounce back on its own turf and will attempt to take advantage of the early kickoff.

USC has one of the most well-balanced teams in college football, especially with strength on the offense. Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava has the chance to lead the Trojans to a 5-0 record and rise even more in the rankings. The biggest key will be to start strong and quiet Illinois' home crowd.

After playing Illinois, the Trojans will have a week off to recover from the game and the time zone differences. The Trojans will next face the No.19 Michigan Wolverines on Oct. 11, back home at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum.