Paul Finebaum Reveals Why Optimism Is Fading for a Historic College Football Program

The USC Trojans were once considered one of the best programs in college football. However, the program has fallen on tough times.

Lincoln Riley Facing Defining Season at USC

After having a dominant run in the 2000s under head coach Pete Carroll, the Trojans have had just five double-digit-win seasons since 2010. The last one came in 2022 when they went 11-3 during head coach Lincoln Riley's first year at the helm.

Based on those results, it looked like he was going to lead the Trojans back to prominence. However, the seasons that followed have not gone to plan. The Trojans followed up that 11-win season with an 8-5 campaign, despite starting the year ranked No. 6 and returning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams.

Riley's team followed that season up with a 7-6 campaign, leaving many wondering if he was the right man for the job. In 2025, the team showed life. USC went 9-4, but still missed the College Football Playoff. That has added a lot of pressure on Riley heading into the 2026 season to get it right.

USC Football head coach Lincoln Riley speaks during Media Days. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Paul Finebaum Questions USC's Schedule

ESPN's Paul Finebaum said that he has heard a lot of optimism surrounding USC and Riley. However, the schedule leaves him questioning if the Trojans can live up to those expectations.

"There is a lot of optimism coming out of So. Cal about Lincoln Riley," Finebaum said on 'The Paul Finebaum Show.' "Everybody feels great about the quarterback and feels maybe this is the year they turn it around. That is, until you talk about their schedule. The Big Ten is much tougher than it has been."

The Trojans have an extremely difficult schedule this season. They face the Oregon Ducks, Penn State Nittany Lions, Washington Huskies, Ohio State Buckeyes and the Indiana Hoosiers this season. They will likely need to finish that stretch with a winning record, or the season could derail quickly.

The Trojans Need Results After Four Years of Waiting

The pressure surrounding Riley is understandable. USC didn't hire him simply to produce winning seasons; it hired him to restore a program that expects to compete for championships.

The Trojans have shown flashes under Riley, but they have yet to put together the kind of sustained success that was expected when he arrived from Oklahoma. Now entering his fifth season, the excuses are running out.

With a talented roster and a quarterback who has created optimism around the program, USC has the pieces to make a run. But in the Big Ten, talent alone is not enough. Riley has to prove his team can consistently win the biggest games, or the Trojans could find themselves searching for another coach to bring back their championship identity.

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