Same Issues Still Prevalent for USC Trojans Early in Big Ten Play

Opinions can change with new information and teams can evolve and quickly flip the page from what they were early in the season.

But four games into year five under coach Lincoln Riley, and it’s the same USC team in 2026 that they have been in previous years.

USC Trojans Lincoln Riley Recruiting Class Dan Lanning Oregon Ducks Gary Patterson Injury Rutgers Big Ten Coliseum — Aug 29, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley head coach Lincoln Riley Lincoln Riley Riley enters the field before the game against the San José State Spartans at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Yes, the Trojans are 4-0, but the schedule gets real this week with a Big Ten showdown against No. 20 Oregon and a tough conference slate to follow.

Expectations are high, and they always will be at Southern Cal. It’s what comes with being one of the premier brands in college football and one that also happens to plays in the second-most populated city in the country.

The Trojans will always draw eyes from across the country, go viral on social media at the slightest hint of disrespect, be heavily featured in college football talk shows and trending social media topics. It only heightens when a program that has a rich history of tradition and success is underperforming.

There’s more investment from the university and alumni into the football program than ever before in this current era of college football. A commitment to from the top down. USC just opened a brand-new $225 million dollar facility in early August and have vastly improved its NIL collectives to compete with the rest of the country in roster construction. There’s no shortage of resources.

It’s a new era for the program but that investment has to turn into results and the only one that matters is a trip to its first-ever College Football Playoff.

Defensive and Road Struggles

Depth on the defensive side of the ball instantly became a huge concern for USC in week 0, when San José State carved up their backups and third string players in the fourth quarter back on Aug. 29. Louisiana did the same in week 2.

But it’s not just the backups where the issue lies, it’s the entire defense. In their first road and Big Ten game against Rutgers, after safety Christian Pierce picked off a pass on the Scarlet Knights opening possession, it was a struggle the rest of the way. Gary Patterson is the third defensive coordinator under Riley and so far, not much has changed in the final result.

USC allowed 460 yards of total offense and narrowly escaped 42-35 on the road to a Rutgers team that has suffered losses to UMass and Boston College this season. A strong defensive line against three Group of Five opponents, disappeared this past Saturday. It was a disappointing performance on that side of the ball all around and something that the Trojans won’t get away with again in conference play.

If you want to be a great Big Ten team, you have to be able to play great and win on the road, especially in high-profile matchups. It’s a conference filled with hostile environments. And because of how spread out the schools are across the country, it means long road trips.

West Coast schools deal with it to a greater degree because of their geographical location, but nonetheless, it’s something every program is dealing with and something they signed up for in 2024.

Southern Cal has not been the same team at the Coliseum as they have been on the road the past two seasons. That has to change with tough road challenges against Penn State and Indiana still on the schedule.

Hit Hard by the Injury Bug

USC suffered significant injuries at multiple positions during its first season in the Big Ten in 2024. Injuries were costly again in 2025.

Well, four games into 2026 and it’s been more of the same. Star freshman receiver Trent Mosley is sidelined for the foreseeable future after suffering a knee injury against Louisiana.

Corey Simms took a low hit against Rutgers this past Saturday. The Trojans receiver immediately grabbed that left knee and was visibly in a lot of pain on the field as he took his helmet off and limped all the way to the sideline. Early reports coming out of USC are not good, and now quarterback Jayden Maiava is without two of his starting receivers.

Defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart has yet to play this season. It’s concerning from the standpoint that it’s the same foot injury as last season and Riley stated the sophomore could have played in week 2 and had been a full participant in practice the week leading up to Rutgers.

Cornerback Jontez Williams missed almost the entirety of the second half with an injury, while nickel Alex Graham left the game in the first half. The Trojans could potentially be without two key starters in the secondary this week.

It’s a long list of significant contributors that are on the injury report and it's only the first month of the season.

Changing the Narrative

USC was never going to change the narrative or sway doubters in their first four games, but they also certainly didn’t do themselves any favor. But the Trojans can start to and make a statement this Saturday, Sept. 26 when No. 20 Oregon rolls into town.

The Ducks have failed in some of their biggest moments to reach college football’s mountain top, but they have been the premier program on the West Coast this past decade. Oregon has won seven of the last eight matchups against USC, including a 42-27 victory in Eugene last November.

If the Trojans want to elevate the program to what it was once during the Pete Carroll days in the 2000s, they have to go through the Ducks.

Lincoln Riley vs. Dan Lanning. Jayden Maiava vs. Dante Moore. USC vs. Oregon. There is no shortage of storylines heading into this highly anticipated Big Ten matchup. This is the type of game for Patterson to leave his mark in this second act of a Hall of Fame career.

Not only could the Trojans ignite their own College Football Playoff hopes but they would ruin them for their West Coast foe, who has already suffered a loss to Oklahoma State in week 2.

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