USC Trojans Must Overcome One Key Weakness to Keep Season Alive

Once USC leaves the tarmac in Los Angeles, they have been a completely different team since joining the Big Ten in 2024. A flip switches in the wrong direction.

The Trojans have won just three true road games outside of California, and each one of them has been a struggle, most notably in week 3 when they escaped against a then winless Rutgers team 42-35. Multiple lackluster performances has been the story of the team this season.

Tough Road Environment in Happy Valley

USC Trojans Nebraska Cornhuskers White Out Game Lincoln Riley Penn State Nittany Lions Happy Valley Jayden Maiava Big Ten — Oct 3, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) warms up prior to the game against the Washington Huskies at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Griffin Hooper-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Last season, USC faced Nebraska in a “Blackout” game. A hostile road environment, and the team didn’t respond well at all. Quarterback Jayden Maiava played his worst game in a USC uniform, completing 9-of-23 passes for 135 yards and an interception.

Former Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola suffered a broken leg in the third quarter, which changed the tide of the game and the Trojans escaped with a 21-17 win over a seven-win team.

Well, coach Lincoln Riley’s squad will see an elevated version of what they saw a year ago when they make the cross-country trip to Penn State on Saturday, Oct. 10 for the “White Out” game. A rocking crowd that can reach north of 108,000 people.

According to NBC Sports, peak noise of a Penn State White Out game is 122 decibels. To put into perspective, a live concert is about 114 decibels, ear plugs are recommend at 120 decibels and a jet engine is 130 decibels.

Southern Cal has amped up the crowd noise in practice in order to prepare for the intense atmosphere this weekend. In can be heard throughout the campus but changing the crowd noise means nothing, if the team doesn’t change.

Sticking to the normal routine and having a negligent approach to big games is what has hurt the Trojans in the past. If USC wants to be a great Big Ten team, they have to play much better in all phases of the game away from the Coliseum and it has to start on Saturday.

Pressure on Lincoln Riley

For the third straight week, the Trojans will play at the 4:30 p.m. PT slot on NBC. A prime time game that puts USC in front of a national audience.

The pressure surrounding Riley heading into his fifth season was sky high. And then a disastrous showing against Oregon in week 4 dominated college football headlines has only elevated the noise. The culture of the program has been under fire.

Riley’s job security continues to be a hot topic as “Fire Lincoln” chants broke out starting in the second quarter of the Trojans uninspiring win over Washington in week 5. Those won’t go away anytime soon. And hefty buyout may not be able to save Riley anymore. Results have to happen on the field.

Not "coming close" or "a few plays away" or "we didn't get run out of the stadium" or "we did a lot of good things " or any of the embarassing quotes Riley utters over and over again.

USC could realistically still lose another game and still be alive for the College Football Playoff but it’s a one-game season the rest of the way because of the way the team has played, despite their 5-1 record.

And for a program that has stumbled in their biggest moments and fallen short of the standard under Riley, they can’t afford to take another step back in Happy Valley.

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