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Are USC Trojans Underachieving With Lincoln Riley? National Championship Standard

The USC Trojans have not won a national championship since 2004, but one college football analyst believes that USC should be competing for a title each year. Changes to name, image, and likeness rules, should play in the Trojans' favor when recruiting Southern California.

Angela Miele

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
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
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The USC Trojans have not won a College Football National Championship since 2004. The Trojans are coming off a 7-6 season in USC coach Lincoln Riley’s third year with the program. On3’s J.D. PicKell claims the key to success for the USC Trojans is in-state recruiting.

PicKell’s top argument as to why USC should always compete for national championship is in-state recruiting. California holds some of the top prospects in the nation each year. If USC can keep these recruits in-state with the Trojans, they should be a contender every year.

“USC should always compete for national championships,” PicKell said. “There’s a few states in recruiting that if you lock it down you can compete for the highest level of hardware. The good news for Trojans fans is California is one of those states.”

USC Trojans coach Lincoln Riley
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

Former USC Trojans coach Pete Carroll was one of the top recruiters and changed the landscape for recruiting high school players to Southern California. Carroll believed the path to success was recruiting and putting in the effort. Carroll was traveling to recruit the top prospects before it was the norm and brought in the top California talent. PicKell cited Carroll as the blueprint.

“Pete Carroll laid out the blueprint as clear as a 74-degree December day in Los Angeles,” PicKell said. “You own SoCal, you win National titles. You grab a Reggie Bush, a Matt Leinart, a Troy Polamalu and you win a lot of Football games. That equation is pretty straightforward.”

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A major aspect of college football recruiting in 2025 is NIL deals. Recruits want to go to a school that will put them in the best spot to not only play football but where they are in the best position financially. USC can still use the current landscape of college football to its advantage.

“Now in addition to that, we live in a world where players are getting paid. People were chirping early 2000s USC for the recruitment of Reggie Bush, and one, he got his Heisman back, so let’s relax, two that is 1,000% legal right now,” PicKell said. “Go show off the high-rise apartments, go activate the alumni base that includes Will Ferrell. Get the greenbacks flowing and you can attract and bring in top talent.”

Riley and the Trojans have what they need to recruit the top talent not just in California, but in the nation. Hiring Chad Bowden as USC’s general manager is a step in the right direction for the football program. Bowden wants to put top efforts into recruiting and understands the importance of NIL deals.

USC Trojans coach Lincoln Riley
Nov 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

PicKell closed out his reasoning with a call for Riley to take action.

“So for Lincoln Riley, if USC can put a product on the field that creates some momentum, recruits in-state and out-of-state will have a hard time saying no to playing at USC, which I think will equate to a lot of hardware in Heritage Hall,” PicKell said.

PicKell uploaded a section of his video on his X account. USC Trojans four-star cornerback recruit Brandon Lockhart had a strong response to PicKell's take.

“Watch the 26 class!!!!” Lockhart wrote.

USC’s class of 2025 ranks No. 15 in the nation and No. 5 in the Big Ten. The recruiting for the class of 2026 has strong momentum so far. USC’s class of 2026 ranks No. 2 in the nation and No. 2 in the Big Ten. Roughly two-thirds of the recruits in USC's current 2026 class are from California, including Lockhart.

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Angela Miele
ANGELA MIELE

Angela Miele is a writer covering the USC Trojans on Sports Illustrated. She graduated from Rutgers University with a Master’s in Communication and Media in 2024. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in 2022 from Rowan University. She graduated with a B.A. in English with minors in Writing Arts and Sports Communication and Media. Since graduating from Rowan University, she has been a contributor on various websites, most recently covering the NFL and college football for The Forkball.

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