USC Fans Will Love Matt Leinart's Message After Speaking with Lincoln Riley

For former USC Trojans quarterback and 2004 Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart, this year's USC team has what it takes to be a real College Football Playoff contender. After a conversation with coach Lincoln Riley, USC is close to chasing their dream.

Sep 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley speaks with the official during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Even with all of the success that the No. 15 USC Trojans have earned this season, the chase for a College Football Playoff is the realest it's been all season. It's as simple as this for USC: win, and you're in.

The 8-2 Trojans have emerged as a serious competitor in both college football and the Big Ten conference, ripping apart the narratives that USC, 6-1 record in conference play, could not compete in the Big Ten.

Now with a must-win road game at No. 7 Oregon right in front of USC, the Trojans get a shot at a run at the CFP.

Matt Leinart Shares Optimism for Lincoln Riley's, USC's CFP Chase

Jul 23, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Former NFL quarterback Matt Leinart speaks to the media about The We Give Blood Drive during the Big Ten NCAA college football media days at Mandalay Bay Resort. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images | Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

After former USC quarterback and 2004 Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart sat down with coach Lincoln Riley, he shared the Trojans are so close to a CFP run, and emphasized how badly they want it.

"Sat down with Coach Riley this week. You can feel it on how close this team is to getting into that national title conversation. Probably the biggest game of his career so far at Usc. Huge huge opportunity against the Ducks!" Leinart posted on X.

Sat down with Coach Riley this week. You can feel it on how close this team is to getting into that national title conversation. Probably the biggest game of his career so far at Usc. Huge huge opportunity against the Ducks!

— Matt Leinart (@MattLeinartQB) November 20, 2025

Especially with Leinart being a two-time championship-winning USC quarterback himself, his confidence in this Trojans team speaks volumes about the culture and the program Riley is building.

The Trojans have held their standard of a breakthrough following a 7-6 season in Riley's third season as head coach. In his fourth year, Riley has beaten two Top 25 teams and compiled a No. 1 ranked 2026 recruiting class.

Riley's offense has also produced promising numbers all season, as USC is the only team in the nation averaging 300+ passing yards per game and 200+ rushing yards per game, numbers that have not been produced since the running back Reggie Bush and Leinart era in 2005.

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Now, with two games left on the schedule, Riley finds himself in the exact position he envisioned — meaningful November football with a team he has full confidence in.

"This is what I'm used to, man. it's good to good to be right there again. No question. Just the ride and the journey with this team's been really fun and we got a long ways to go. it's the time of year I enjoy the most. it's good to be in the hunt and it's good to have a team like this that you believe in," Riley said after Tuesday's practice.

Why USC vs. Oregon Is That Important

Nov 11, 2023; Eugene, Oregon, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley, left, and Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning talk before a game at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

The Trojans road contest at the Ducks means everything, and will be a testament to a CFP bid that USC has been chasing all year.

The 9-1 Ducks and 8-2 Trojans are playing for it all come this Saturday, Nov. 22 with ESPN's College GameDay in Eugene for a second time. But what's different about this matchup between USC and Oregon, compared to the 2023 game?

The 2023 game featuring two star quarterbacks in Denver Broncos' Bo Nix for Oregon and Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams for the Trojans, the two simply met as Pac-12 opponents for the first time, no immense pressure of a CFP was dangling in front of them.

Nov 15, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) throws 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

This season, Oregon’s one-loss record has them pushing for a second straight CFP berth, and USC must pull off an upset to keep its own path alive. The stakes are high, and everything will come down to Saturday.iron

USC and Oregon will kickoff at 12:30 p.m. PT.