USC Trojans' Lincoln Riley Eye-Catching Comments On Purdue's Transfers, New Staff

The USC Trojans are set to face off against the Purdue Boilermakers in their Big Ten opener on Saturday in West Lafayette. Ahead of Saturday's Big Ten opener, USC coach Lincoln Riley credited the Boilermakers for the turnaround they've had from last year.

Aug 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches from the sidelines against the Missouri State Bears in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

USC football will travel to West Lafayette to face off against the Purdue Boilermakers for their Big Ten opener. The Trojans, like they were in their dominating wins against Missouri State and Georgia Southern, are big favorites to beat Purdue and move to 3-0 on the season. According to ESPNBET Sportsbook, USC is currently a 20.5-point favorite over Purdue.

Lincoln Riley Credits Purdue Ahead of Big Ten Opener

Aug 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley gestures during the game against the Missouri State Bears at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Ahead of Saturday's matchup, USC coach Lincoln Riley on "Trojans Live" credited the Boilermakers and the turnaround that the program has had from a year ago.

"Purdue is much improved," Riley said. "It's a totally different team. They have close to 80 new players between the portal and true freshmen. It's a brand new staff with a new system."

As the Trojans prepare for their Big Ten opener against Purdue, Riley has noticed changes in the way that Purdue has been playing compared to last season.

"Studying anything from the previous years with Purdue is basically useless. They've done a great job. They've played well in the first couple of games. They've played well defensively. They've really held people down. They've done a nice job offensively of both running and throwing the football. They've got some confidence, " said Riley.

Purdue's Turnaround From Last Season

Aug 30, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Boilermakers head coach Barry Odom stands on the sidelines during the first quarter against the Ball State Cardinals at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Last season, the Boilermakers were arguably one of the worst teams in the Power Four. Purdue finished the 2024 season with a 1-11 record and went 0-11 against FBS opponents. Their lone win last season came against FCS opponent Indiana State, winning by a score of 49-0. Purdue was blown out in the majority of their games last season, with eight of their 11 losses being by three or more scores.

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The Boilermakers have a new look team this season, which has benefited them in their 2-0 start, which included wins against Ball State and Southern Illinois. Purdue hired UNLV's Barry Odom as their new coach and also brought in former USC offensive line coach Josh Henson to be the team's offensive coordinator.

The Boilermakers are led by starting quarterback Ryan Browne, who, through two weeks this season, has recorded 481 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception. In his three-year career with Purdue, Browne has recorded 1,117 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and five interceptions.

Sep 6, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Boilermakers quarterback Ryan Browne (15) throws the ball before Southern Illinois Salukis defensive end Donnie Wingate (9) can tackle him during the second half at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

USC vs Purdue Series History

Saturday's matchup will be USC's first game against Purdue as a Big Ten team, as the two didn't play last season. The two teams have met four previous times, with the Trojans leading the series 3-1. USC won the last meeting in 1998 at the Coliseum, 27-17.

The Trojans have won the last three meetings against the Boilermakers from 1975 to 1998. Purdue's one win in the series came in the 1966 Rose Bowl, winning 14-13.

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