USC Coach Lincoln Riley Gets Real About Doubters Before Oregon Game

The USC Trojans and Oregon Ducks will meet in a massive game at Autzen Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 22 at Autzen Stadium with College Football Playoff hopes on the line for each team.

USC coach Lincoln Riley made his weekly appearance on Trojans Live, reflecting on the Trojans recent win over the Iowa Hawkeyes and his thoughts on this Oregon team.

What Lincoln Riley Said

USC Trojans Oregon Ducks Lincoln Riley Dan Lanning College Football Playoff College GameDay Big Ten Eugene Autzen Stadium — 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

On the 'Hype' of the Oregon Game

“For us, these are all the same people that thought we were going to suck. Like seriously, like I mean this is all the same people, we were going to do this and USC was this and that. So for us to pay attention to them now, would would be a little bit counterproductive. We hadn't forgotten that.”

Extra Emphasis With College GameDay, National Implications?

“Talented team. They've recruited well and developed over a long period of time now and that shows up. They do a good job on on all three sides of the ball. They've got talent, they've got depth. The ability to really play well on all three sides. It'll be a good challenge for the whole team and that's what games like this should be. Two really good football teams going at it and a lot on the line and just like it should be here at the end of the year.”

Battle Tested, Peaking At Right Time?

“Yeah, I think that's that's the benefit of playing a schedule like we do. This is a very good football team. We've played other very good football teams, We've been in a lot of different moments. We've played with a lot of different people.I don't know that anything's gonna surprise you at this point on either side, right? You go tee it up and you go let it rip. And that's what makes these fun right here at the end. So, both teams know who they are and and yeah, it should be a hell of a matchup.”

What Goes Into A Comeback Victory

“You have to believe it first. I think that's where it starts. If you don't have belief, it's the chances of it happening are very, very low. I think there has to be some reality to all right, if you didn't play good in the beginning of a game, why didn't you play good, and are you capable of turning that around? And I think that was our message to the guys at halftime was like, here's a couple of things we're not doing well that regardless of Iowa or whoever we're playing, we have to do better, period.”

“And if we'll do that, then we feel like we can really make a run here. I think the guys all felt that and knew that and their response at halftime was very much of a team that absolutely knew that they were going to play better and and knew certainly that they could certainly still win the game.”

“And so I think the the belief and mentality was really good and then we came out and got off to a good start, got points right away and then just kind of got on a run from there. And that's, you know, this game, there's always momentum swings in this game and and part of the key is all right, when it's not going your way, being able to put a stop to it and then when it is, you want to ride it as as much as you can. And we were able to keep that momentum really the entire second half.”

What A “Culture Win” Means

“You have some games where things go according to plan and you separate and we've had had a handful of those games this year and those are great. But there's ones like this where you don't play very good. You have a lot of key players out for injury purposes. You're having to play a bunch of different people. Obviously a tough opponent on top all of that. And then, for us to just overcome all of that, that shows a lot.”

“I don't know that in some of our past years if I don't know if we would have done that to be completely honest. There is that point as you're climbing, believing you can win and then expecting to and and really learning how to win. And when you learn how to win is really what you're doing is you're learning how to win different ways.”

“You're learning how to win when you're not at your best or not at your healthiest or not everything goes your way. The teams that win a lot. that's what they do. We're starting to figure that out and it’s fun to see that happening. And moments like that are big because it's big for this team this year, but it's also, I think, in a lot of ways foundational, as we look ahead to the coming years.”

Leadership on Team

“Eric (Gentry) said it well after the game. It's not just a couple of key leaders or some of the guys that play the most snaps. A lot of the leadership and and I think kind of inspiration and fire from this team come from all over. It comes from old guys, young guys. It comes from guys that are playing a lot. It comes from guys that don't play a ton of snaps on Saturday, but have a huge role on this team. And that’s when when these things become player driven.”

“In my history, that's typically when teams start to get pretty good. The message and what we're trying to do as a team has really gotten to the players because it becomes so important to them, just as important to them as it is the staff. And that's typically a pretty good sign. And this team certainly has signs of that.”

“I mean, some of our most vocal impactful leaders are some of our best scout team players. You've seen that some with some of the captains that we've chosen. We’ve just got a lot of impactful guys here that that aren't always the guys that fill up the stat sheet and that's been that's been a lot of fun to see.”

Makai Lemon Stepping Up As Leader

"Yeah, he's started to become more vocal. I've even seen him bring the group up and talk to the entire group before before a practice or a walk through which a year ago there's not a chance in hell that was going to happen. He has definitely started to come out of his shell and understand the responsibility and opportunity that he has with this team.

"He's not our most vocal guy but anything that comes from him because of the way he plays and the way he works is very impactful. Certainly, the toughness and fearless nature that he plays and competes with every time he touches the field is is a big deal for our team and certainly, inspiring, sets a great example."

Jayden Maiava and Makai Lemon Connection

Yeah, it just kind of evolved. We had a couple opportunities to him and the guys were able to protect Jayden and Jayden was able to get him the ball and then and then I think it was key that we were able to make plays outside of just Lem to show them that you just can't sit there and put a lot of guys on them. Jacobi (Lane) was making plays, the tight ends were making plays. We had some explosive runs. That was important that we got production from other places that obviously helps your matchups across the board.

MORE: Three Biggest Takeaways From USC's Comeback Win vs. Iowa Hawkeyes

MORE: Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz Praises USC Receiver Makai Lemon In Rare Way

MORE: Questionable Facemask Penalty In Pivotal USC Game vs. Iowa

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On Defense, Thin Margins Between Winning and Losing

“It's everything. It's being in position. We were talking about the week before with Jayden when he forced the fumble. It's being in position to make those plays even though you don't know when they're going to show up and whether it's that, whether it’s Jahkeem’s (Stewart) play, whether it's Kennedy Urlacher knocking the receiver out and his foot's out by a couple inches.”

“We showed the guys the visual from the World Series of the play at home where, it's almost out and what his foot's like *that far* from touching it. We’ve used it a couple of times, but then showed the visual of of the Iowa receivers's foot. When you're playing these big time games against really good teams and good competition. That's what this thing comes down to and and our guys are straining and that's why we're making our share of plays.”

On Weather Affecting Iowa Game

“It affected the game for both sides. There were some times in the game when it it didn't affect it as much. I thought kind of early in the game wasn't too bad. Second quarter started going a little bit more. Third quarter was pretty clean. Fourth quarter started pumping again pretty good. The field held up pretty well. There were some spots that were worse. Down towards the tunnel ending kind of on their side, when guys went down it looked like a slip and slide.”

“Which looked fun actually. Some other parts weren't great, but it's a natural surface that had just endured whatever we call these now, atmospheric rivers or whatever the hell we call them now. There was going to be some footing issues and all that. I thought the field held up pretty well considering all of that and again, both sides had to deal with it and it definitely affected the game, but I I thought we were able to to settle into it pretty well.”

Offensive Line and Run Game vs. Iowa

“We had some key runs in the game, some big conversions, and a couple explosives I thought that were that were important. When you're playing a group like that that really zeros in on it, it's important to establish that. And it wasn't our wasn't our cleanest game there. It felt like we were really, really close to popping a few others that were pretty big, but we were pretty steady. It was effective. Not to our standard, but it was effective.”

Defensive Turnaround in Second Half vs. Iowa

“I thought our two safeties with a couple of the guys down really came in and played really well. I think that was just very important for the game flow. I just think we kind of settled into the nature of the game. I think the physicality of the game. I thought we really started to get after ‘em up front. I thought that was really, really key. And then all of a sudden, you start getting them in some third downs which has been a a strength for us all year.”

“And we were able to make some big competitive plays in those moments and create turnover and just kind of take some of that momentum and go. Watching the first half, we didn't feel like we were that far off when we were watching the tape and we were talking adjustments. We felt like we needed to play a little bit better, a little bit more sturdy up front and we certainly did that and then I thought that the guys on the back end filled in from there.”

“Game Day Starts on Sunday” Mantra

“I think for all of us, it's just been great to mentally get past the game like no matter what happens and kind of set the stage for the upcoming week right away. It was a schedule we had hoped to get to right when I got here, but the class schedules here were a little tough to work around, and so it's taken a little bit of time for us to get it to that point.”

“But now, I think it's been great for a whole program. I think just mentally, we've been able to get on to the next thing. The guys have responded well to it. I think it's been good for their recovery. It's been great for the coaches because now we get a full day on Monday to really just kind of dive in. I think the schedule's really really benefited so far and that comment is certainly one example of it.”

On USC Leading Nation in Contested Catches

“I think a compliment to both (Maiava and skill position players). An expectation created here with our guys and then Jayden trusts his guys to make those plays and is a very accurate passer and certainly when he gets the one-on-ones he likes he's going to go. We saw that even last year when he first got started for us. I think it's also a result of our guys competing against our defense all throughout the year and the tough competitive nature of those periods and so it makes the games feel kind of like it is in practice.”

On Kicker Ryon Sayeri

“He definitely hasn't been under the radar for us. He's been one of the most valuable players on the team. No doubt. Just plain and simple. How good he's been on field goals, how clutch he's been, and then not to mention, how good he’s been on kickoffs, playing the other day, one of the best kickoff returners in the country. His ability to kick the ball all over the field and to be able to kick a lot of different touchbacks has been huge as well. His emergence is one of the stories of the year for us without question.”